Posted on 05/27/2010 2:23:06 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Young males forced out on their own in spring, DNR says
When 4-year-old Solveig Schmidt awoke Tuesday morning and looked outside, she saw something unusual in her family's Town of Algoma yard - a black bear.
She reported the sighting to her parents, Ryan and Heather. Given the time (5:30 a.m.) and number of previous local bear sightings (zero), the couple did something not altogether unreasonable: They advised the child to go back to bed.
"Honey, bears don't live around here," Ryan, 36, remembers telling his daughter.
Perhaps not. But they do move through the area. And little Solveig knows her animals.
The bear was later seen and documented Tuesday by others in Winnebago County. It's the most recent in a series of bear sightings outside of the animal's core range in Wisconsin.
At least five bear sightings were reported in southern Wisconsin in April. And a bear was photographed Saturday in a Waunakee backyard.
According to state wildlife officials, it's not unusual for bears to be on the move in late spring and early summer.
"June is the breeding season for bears in Wisconsin," said Becky Roth, a Department of Natural Resources biologist in Spring Green. "Most bear sightings we receive in southern counties occur during late May and June when sub-adult bears, mostly young males, are forced out of breeding territories up north and disperse long distances in search of new habitat."
Last year a bear, believed to be a dispersing young male, traveled 259 miles through Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Wisconsin has a population of between 22,000 and 40,000 black bears, according to the most recent estimates by the Department of Natural Resources. Perhaps more important, the animal is expanding its range in the state.
Sows with cubs are increasingly being found in central and southwestern Wisconsin.
Having more bears in more parts of the state leads to more sightings such as Tuesday's outside Oshkosh.
While bears are wild, strong and unpredictable, Roth said humans have co-existed with bears in northern Wisconsin for centuries and "there's no cause for alarm."
The DNR recommends common sense measures to avoid attracting bears. And if you see a bear in your yard, stay inside and don't approach the animal.
If outdoors, wave your arms and make noise to try to drive the animal off. Then slowly back away and give the bear an escape route.
Bears are no stranger to Rich Kirchmeyer of Prentice in Price County.
"Probably had them in the yard every summer day for the last 20 years," Kirchmeyer said. "Raised kids here and never had a single problem with the bears."
Kirchmeyer said the big animals will break into a shed if they smell a food supply. But mostly they are good neighbors.
"Just don't leave your garbage outside and, if you encounter bears, don't crowd them," said Kirchmeyer, noting he has cut his lawn while a bear was in the yard. "Give them a way out and they have always taken it."
That was the case Tuesday in Winnebago County.
Anne Muench of the Town of Algoma was alerted to the bear by her 2-year-old terrier mix, Sophie. When let out for her early morning break, the pooch growled and refused to leave the stoop.
Muench then looked out and saw the bear standing on its hind legs, helping itself to a breakfast of oranges, grape jelly and birdseed.
Sophie came inside and Muench grabbed her camera.
"We looked at the bear, the bear looked at us, then it just moved off," said Muench, 46. "It was just 20 feet away. A very exciting morning."
Muench recalled summers in her youth when her family would vacation near Eagle River. It was popular then to visit the town dump in evenings to view bears.
"In all those years, I've never been closer to a bear than yesterday in my own yard," Muench said. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I might not have believed it."
Pelt them with something, for their Pelt....
Long way from Wall Street. What’s the deal?
*ping*
Have a Plan B
Have a Plan B
The voice of experience. Hope y'all are well.
Would you be that guy in the picture in post #2?
There are those news stories of brown bears sneaking up on people. An 800 pound bear is on top of some guy before he knows it. Not comforting to think you'd never get to use that cannon you brought along for protection.
Sightings up in western Wa too. I’ve had a mother and cub visit a month ago, then a single Bear a week back.
Where in Western WA? We used to live in Snohomish (more than 20 years ago. A woman I knw told me she had a bear in her yard and she could smell it in the hosue. She said it smelled AWFUL. That is how she noticed it — the smell.
We/re out on the Olympic Peninsula. Near Bainbridge Island.
Amazingly quiet!
I’m more aware of my surroundings now... scan regularly.
Well just freakin great, they’ll be in northern Iowa soon. My sister will be thrilled.
Shoot. Shovel. Shut up.
“Shoot. Shovel. Shut up.”
Lather. Rinse. Repeat. :)
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