Black Bear in Davidson County?

[EastHipster]

I went out Turkey Hunting yesterday at the end of the day.

An old Logging road that I hunt had been washed out pretty hard from the Storm and the leaves had been cleared off in a narrow strip...

was doing lots of Tracking.

 

Saw the usual Coyote, Bobcat, Deer, Dog....and then a Big print about the size of my Palm.

Not super clear but pretty deep in the mud.

Really looked like a Bear.

Track was going across the Trail and I only found the one.

The Sun was going down and I didn't want to get stuck climbing down the Ridge in the mud in the dark so I had to leave.

I'm going to put out a Trail Cam and see what pops up.

Fun to have a nice clear tracking path though!

[UncleJak]

Everyone else will say no. I will say yes. I am a bit North of you and they are up here.

[Lumber_Jack]

Definitely a possibility. Bears have the ability to travel great distances. And are known to live not far from you.

[ted]

Might be BIG FOOT hahaha. Jest kidding .

[monkeylizard]

Black panther.

[UncleJak]

Black panther.

 

4th reply......this has to be a TGO record.....

[EastHipster]

I found this story:  http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16592822/black-bears

[EastHipster]

And this:  http://wildrlog.com/2008/03/26/black-bear-return-to-middle-tennessee

[EastHipster]

The Track I found was in Whites Creek.

Will get back out in the next day or two to check it out and put up a Camera

[KahrMan]

A bear was spotted in Fairview a year or two ago.  TWRA said is was a young male out exploring after winter.  

Edited April 30, 2013 by KahrMan

[E4 No More]

A bear was spotted in Fairview a year or two ago.  TWRA said is was a young male out exploring after winter.  

They asked him what he was doing?

[tartanphantom]

Black bear IS pushing west in this state. While the bear population is mostly concentrated in East TN along the Appalachian range, the territory is very slowly expanding. Big South Fork NWR has had a successful re-population program in place for many years now.

 

Most of what is seen in Middle TN are younger wandering males, and this is on a very rare basis. Even so, the bear population is also growing in several neighboring states such as Kentucky, Western NC and Missouri-- although I doubt that many Missouri bears are willing to swim the Mississippi just to get here.

[monkeylizard]

although I doubt that many Missouri bears are willing to swim the Mississippi just to get here.

 

Maybe not, but at least one Lousiana bear crossed it to get to Mississippi. http://www.cwreplicas.com/onward/bear_facts.html

 

However, in July 2005, a female Louisiana black bear, wearing a radio-collar, crossed the Mississippi River and became the responsibility of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Young began tracking the sow via satellite GPS. On March 2, 2007, a den check in Issaquena County, near Valley Park, revealed the birth of her two female cubs! These are the first documented black bear births in the Mississippi Delta in 30 years! The female had denned on private land which was enrolled in 1997 by the owner in the "Wetlands Reserve Program", which promotes restoring suitable habitat for black bears and other species.

[tartanphantom]

Monkeylizard--

 

cool story. Thanks for the link. :usa:

[Guest confidence]

pics or it didn't happen ;)

[EastHipster]

I put up a Trail Cam today.

Didn't do any baiting or anything.

Tons of traffic on this trail so it will be cool to see what comes up.

[DaveS]

No picture of the tracks?

 

Dave S

[roverboy]

They're turning up in a lot of places these days.

[monkeylizard]

[tercel89]

I was on patrol the other day and was doing paper work on a dead-end road near a wooded area. I just happen to look up and saw a 3 foot long very well built Lynx . It was beautiful !

 I have never saw a Lynx in a long time here much less a huge one like this. It was a big healthy one.

 Also I have noticed how Tennessee is getting lots of Armodillos here. In the last 8 yrs I have saw over 40 armodillos here in Middle Tn . Before 2002 I never saw any here in Tennessee.

 I am in contact with TWRA a bunch durring my work time and I have heard that they have had several sightings of Cougars here too.

Edited May 1, 2013 by tercel89

[xjsnake]

Entirely possible that you found bear tracks in the Whites Creek area. Would be great to get pictures of it.

 

And yes as tercel said, there's tons of Armadillos west of Nashville

[EastHipster]

Cougar and Lynx?

I've seen some Cat prints that looked a bit large for a Bobcat.
Will be interesting to see what shows up on the cam.
And will be sure to take pics of tracks in the future ...didn't want to lose valuable hunting time to chase Bigfoot :)

[10-Ring]

I was talking to someone the other day that claimed seeing armadillos in East Tennessee but I've never seen them East of Nashville myself.

[Guest ochretoe]

Cougar and Lynx?

 

I bet he saw a bobcat or a cougar.  The lynx does not live south of about the 36th parallel.  They are adapted to feed almost exclusively on snowshoe rabbits.  They are bigger than bobcats but cannot compete with them.  The bobcat is much more durable and will kill and eat a lynx.  There is always the exception of an escaped or released pet.  Thats what the last cougar and bison I saw running wild were.