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All Deterrents Articles
MOOSE, Wyo. -- Add bear spray canisters to the list of items that can be recycled in Grand Teton National Park.
Collection bins have been set up at several locations in the park where people can drop off unwanted bear spray canisters for recycling.
Bear pepper spray is the most effective means of repelling an attacking grizzly or black bear in a non-toxic, non-lethal manner. Although common sense might suggest that guns would provide greater personal protection, research and experience indicates that human-bear encounters that do not involve firearms are less likely to result in injury to a human or bear.
The author tested the efficacy of aversive conditioning (AC) and conditioned taste aversion (CTA) on American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Whistler, British Columbia. The study used AC (rubber bullets fired from a shotgun and marbles fired from a sling shot) in an attempt to increase bear wariness toward humans and decrease the time bears spend in human developments. Thiabendazole, an emetic with low toxicity, was used to teach bears to associate illness with specific attractants that cause human-bear conflict.
ST. IGNATIUS - We all have horror stories about bad dates.
Andrew White and Dakota Peterson's story might just take the cake.
The two were hiking in the Mission Mountains Aug. 19 only to come 10 yards from a full-grown black bear.
After running from the bear for about 40 minutes, the two made it to their car, half-blind, out of breath and White shoeless, only to have left the keys in the backpack that was dropped at the beginning of the chase.
OTTAWA - Forget the black flies.
It's the black bears that are on the minds of summit organizers as Ottawa gears up for the G8 summit in Ontario's cottage country at the end of the month.
The bear density in the area around the Huntsville summit is about one animal for every three square kilometres.
Although black bears don't usually attack people, there have been reports of at least one, if not two, altercations in the past few weeks.
With bear season now upon us the time to start thinking about bear-proofing your property is now. Earlier this week there were reports of a blonde grizzly bear hanging around the Victoria and Davis Street area. On Tuesday, however, the local conservation officer, Peter Businc, was able to get out and spot the bear and confirm that it was a “scruffy” light brown colored black bear and not a grizzly bear as first thought by people who had spotted it.
In other bear-related news, the Rossland Bear Aware program has been brought back from the brink it found itself staring over earlier this year in large part due to the support of the Columbia Basin Trust. Facing uncertain funding year after year, the program looked as though it would drop down to a voluntary service rather than fully-funded program.
This 85 page guide will provide you with a better understanding of bear behaviour and an understanding
of various techniques for responding to human-bear conflicts, including an introductory level
working knowledge of bear aversion methodology. The knowledge gained through this guide
will enable you to better understand and diffuse human-bear conflict situations in a manner that
increases safety for the public, the bear manager/police officer and bears.
A properly constructed electric fence is safe for people and pets and has proven to be effective at deterring bears from apiaries (beehives), fruit trees, gardens, livestock pens, rabbit hutches, garbage containers, dog kennels, chicken coups, compost piles, storage sheds, along with numerous other uses. There is an abundant variety of applications and effective fencing designs for deterring bears. Design, construction and proper maintenance will determine the effectiveness of your electric fence. Safety is always a concern when using electrified equipment. Modern electric fence energizers have been shown to be safe for humans, animals and vegetation. The pulse rate of a modern energizer is so quick that they cannot generate enough heat to start vegetation on fire. While touching an electrified fence is unpleasant, modern energizers are safe to use around pets and children.
Recently, the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) team skyped Get Bear Smart to learn more about creating bear smart communities in Washington. I'm sure many of you have the same questions, so I thought I'd provide a summary of the conversation.
Hunkering down to pat a friendly dog named Atlas, one would never know his job would scare most humans.
Atlas is a Karelian bear dog, a breed once used to hunt bears in Russia and Finland. Karelian bear dogs are now excellent companions to Fish and Wildlife officers who must deal with problem bears
As the number of black bears in the US grows, largely due to protection measures taken over the past century, the chances of these animals interacting with humans increase as well. Wildlife authorities managing national parks, where this threat is most severe, turned to science to help them devise the best possible methods of keeping bears away from thrash cans, and therefore reducing the risks of violent encounters with humans. Details of the work appear in the January issue of the respected Journal of Wildlife Management, Wired reports.
The Bear Aware Program Delivery Specialist, Betty Offin, and Joanne Siderius, the program’s provincial supervisor, gave a presentation to city council on Dec. 18, detailing the program’s successes in 2009.
The provincial program aims to reduce human-bear conflicts.
In 2009, of the 10,303 black bear reports in B.C., 88 were made in the Castlegar area.
Offin said the numbers have been in sharp decline.
A fish-out-of-water story with a bit of a freshness issue, "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant as barely civil Manhattan marrieds who witness a murder, move to Wyoming and, naturally, rediscover love, liberty and the pursuit of sappiness. "Morgans" moves along predictably enough -- when Paul buys grizzly-bear repellent, the question isn't whether he will accidentally spray himself in the face, but how many times.
Bears are a part of the fabric of Whistler life and lore - to longtime locals, they're almost like stray dogs or squirrels. Admit it: we all love to tell tales of the majestic creatures we share this valley with (especially with anxious tourists).
But their comfort level with humans can have tragic results, and just because we're used to having these animals around doesn't mean we shouldn't have a healthy respect for the creatures. In fact, one local bear advocate believes we need to work at living in harmony with the black bears. So, she decided to publish a book on the topic.
Proposal would require permitted backcountry users in griz country to carry pepper spray.
Big game hunters are in a position to encounter bears and we must do our part to act responsibly for grizzly bear recovery. This means seeking out information from the agencies about hunting in grizzly country and carrying bear spray.
Two bowhunters from Columbia Falls fired pistols at a family group of bears early Sunday morning in the Great Bear Wilderness, but Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials were unable to locate any dead bears. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks recommends that hunters carry pepper spray for self-defense. Bear sprays have proven effective for deterring bears in multiple encounters.
After wandering into a North St. Paul neighborhood, a black bear was shot and killed because "it attracted a lot of the public's attention and they (sic) weren't going to leave it alone," said Police Chief Tom Lauth. They couldn't tranquilize it
Living in Bear Country provides practical advice on minimizing problems with bears in the places that people live. It shows how a few simple adjustments to your daily routine can reduce the risk of property damage and human injury from bears.
This 27-minute program contains important information on how people can reduce their chance of encountering a polar bear and how to best respond if they do meet a bear.
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