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Bears wander into motels in New Mexico
Denver Rocky Mountain News | July 21, 2005 | AP

Posted on 07/22/2005 9:31:02 AM PDT by Graybeard58

Maybe it's an early hibernation thing. A bear wandered into a Raton motel on Monday and a second bear broke into a Taos Ski Valley motel a day later. The bear that walked through the front doors of the Raton motel possibly was lured by the enticing smell of fresh popcorn, officials said.

"He walked in, went to the pay phones, then straight toward the pool," said desk clerk Kimbra Pacheco.

Lodgers with newspapers chased the bear through an enclosed pool area until game officers arrived. A Department of Game and Fish officer shot the animal with a tranquilizer dart.

Department officers later killed the bear, saying it had been trapped and moved from Raton a few weeks earlier and had lost its fear of humans.

The second bear forced its way through a window screen Tuesday at a Taos Ski Valley motel. The desk clerk called 911, but the bear fled before the town marshal and game officers arrived.

Officers have set a trap to try to capture the animal, which officials believe was attracted by the smell of food being cooked by lodgers on a grill outside their room.

The recent hot, dry weather in northern New Mexico may have forced some bears to search for food in different places, the department said.

The agency said people who live in bear country should keep anything that would attract them away from living areas and keep all doors and windows closed at night.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: hatewhenthathappens

1 posted on 07/22/2005 9:31:03 AM PDT by Graybeard58
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To: Graybeard58
"...The desk clerk called 911, but the bear fled before the town marshal and game officers arrived..."

Well, hell yes, it fled...it saw her calling 911!!!

As long as these bears are willing to work and pay taxes and not blame all of their problems on others, I personally don't have a problem with them...
2 posted on 07/22/2005 9:39:36 AM PDT by baltodog (R.I.P. Balto: 2001(?) - 2005)
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To: baltodog

I'd run too if they were going to shoot me in the a** with a tranq. dart.


3 posted on 07/22/2005 9:41:12 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: Graybeard58
"[The bears]...went to the pay phones..."

huh?

4 posted on 07/22/2005 9:42:32 AM PDT by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help...)
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To: Mr. K
The bears]...went to the pay phones..."

Didn't have his cell phone with him.

5 posted on 07/22/2005 9:44:09 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: Graybeard58
Didn't have his cell phone with him.

Didn't want to pay *roaming* charges.

6 posted on 07/22/2005 9:52:56 AM PDT by Lil'freeper ("If you want to get happy, birthday cake is the way to go." -- Stephanie Plum)
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To: Mr. K
"[The bears]...went to the pay phones..."

huh?

They were ordering pizza to be delivered to their room. ;o)

7 posted on 07/22/2005 10:03:12 AM PDT by NRA2BFree
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To: Graybeard58
Lodgers with newspapers chased the bear through an enclosed pool area until game officers arrived. A Department of Game and Fish officer shot the animal with a tranquilizer dart.

Huh? Smacking a bear with a newspaper sounds like a good way to win a Darwin Award.

8 posted on 07/22/2005 10:17:06 AM PDT by Hugin
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To: Hugin
Huh? Smacking a bear with a newspaper sounds like a good way to win a Darwin Award.

Not something I'd try - while sober.

9 posted on 07/22/2005 10:48:31 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: baltodog; Cagey

ROTF! Funniest post all week. :) Props!


10 posted on 07/22/2005 11:07:01 AM PDT by MotleyGirl70
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To: Graybeard58

I guess the bears got tired of doing it in the woods!


11 posted on 07/23/2005 5:36:23 AM PDT by FDNYRHEROES (Make welfare as hard to get as a building permit)
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To: Graybeard58; Hugin
Smacking a bear with a newspaper sounds like a good way to win a Darwin Award.

You have no idea what passes for entertainment in Northern NM. :)

12 posted on 07/23/2005 6:04:42 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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