Bears in my AO

[Guest TankerHC]

In the last few weeks there have been half a dozen Bears within 2 miles of my house shooed off. Last Saturday my brother and I went to walk the trail at Pocket Wilderness (About a mile and a half from my house) and got there a little late and the Ranger was closing the gate getting to the parking lot, we talked with him for about 30 minutes. They dont want people on the trail after dark, not supposed to be. Three bears shooed off the trail i the last week and he said there was a Mountain Lion spotted near the entrance to the trail last Thursday. I went to Academy that night and bought a can of Bear Spray (You know that sheet is $38 a bottle?), on top of that the Ranger said there were Mountain (Timber) Ratlers all over the place, said they had never been this bad. Asked the reason, he said the same thing two other people told me previously, weather, rain driving the wildlife low Mountains. So far there has been one Bear chased back up the Mountain from behind Bi-Lo in Dayton, another one across from Bi-Low on the other side of 27, both within 2000 yards of my house in built up areas, another one that nearly came downtown, which would put him less than 500 yards away and several others, including those bears on the trail.

 

My wifes Aunts grandson hunts up towards Evensville, Evensville is about 5 miles from Dayton where Rhea County High School is. Posted these pics from his trail cam yesterday. (Taken on the 24th). I had never heard of Mountain Lions in East TN, so googled it and came across the link below the pics.

 

 

 

 

Link on Mountain Lion subject. Also, that runnung joke thread about the green eyed thing in my yard. Look behind my house, 300 yards away is the treeline, right behind that is Dayton Mountain. Im telling you there was a Bear or SOMETHING in my back yard that night. I would suggest that the reason the eyes glowed green was because of that cheapo light I was using.

 

http://www.topix.com/forum/news/topix/TTTN7NRFDSV9NPPD8

 

 

[Sidinman]

Nice pics. Whats the status on bear hunting around there?

[Guest TankerHC]

Nice pics. Whats the status on bear hunting around there?

 

Have no idea. Someone in the know might want to say.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Link on Mountain Lion subject. Also, that runnung joke thread about the green eyed thing in my yard. Look behind my house, 300 yards away is the treeline, right behind that is Dayton Mountain. Im telling you there was a Bear or SOMETHING in my back yard that night. I would suggest that the reason the eyes glowed green was because of that cheapo light I was using.

 

The operatic singing coonhound passed away last year. I couldn't let him go out in the back fenced woods after dark because he would sing all night. But the remaining younger coonhound is mostly a silent hunter and I leave the backyard fence gate open so he can run in the woods til midnight or so.

 

When I go out to call him in I walk down the steps to the deck by the woods and quietly whistle for him and shine my headlamp and 750 lumen light into the woods till he decides to show up. Sometimes I'll walk up into the woods to get him but it is easy to trip and fall on underbrush at night. Anyway the hound has brilliant green eyes when he comes in range of the lights, peering out from the woods.

 

About a week ago I saw a pair of bright green eyes outside the back woods fence. Most likely a coon or cat or whatever. Was puzzling because those two eyes never moved over about a 15 minute span. Every time I'd shine the light over that way they were in the exact same position. Perhaps the most likely explanation somebody's house cat laying relaxing in the woods on the other side of the fence?

[Guest TankerHC]

The operatic singing coonhound passed away last year. I couldn't let him go out in the back fenced woods after dark because he would sing all night. But the remaining younger coonhound is mostly a silent hunter and I leave the backyard fence gate open so he can run in the woods til midnight or so.

 

When I go out to call him in I walk down the steps to the deck by the woods and quietly whistle for him and shine my headlamp and 750 lumen light into the woods till he decides to show up. Sometimes I'll walk up into the woods to get him but it is easy to trip and fall on underbrush at night. Anyway the hound has brilliant green eyes when he comes in range of the lights, peering out from the woods.

 

About a week ago I saw a pair of bright green eyes outside the back woods fence. Most likely a coon or cat or whatever. Was puzzling because those two eyes never moved over about a 15 minute span. Every time I'd shine the light over that way they were in the exact same position. Perhaps the most likely explanation somebody's house cat laying relaxing in the woods on the other side of the fence?

 

 

What was in my yard was no house cat, way too big. I think today I am going to walk up and set up my trail cam. Leave it for a few days and see what it gets.

Edited September 7, 2013 by TankerHC

[whitewolf001]

What was in my yard was no house cat, way too big. I think today I am going to walk up and set up my trail cam. Leave it for a few days and see what it gets.

 

A family friend whom worked for Rock Island state park said they've seen them. From what I understand is that the feds don't want them readded to the endangered list as this would mean more funding required, not sure how true this is though. :2cents:

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

In the last few weeks there have been half a dozen Bears within 2 miles of my house shooed off. Last Saturday my brother and I went to walk the trail at Pocket Wilderness (About a mile and a half from my house) and got there a little late and the Ranger was closing the gate getting to the parking lot, we talked with him for about 30 minutes. They dont want people on the trail after dark, not supposed to be. Three bears shooed off the trail i the last week and he said there was a Mountain Lion spotted near the entrance to the trail last Thursday. I went to Academy that night and bought a can of Bear Spray (You know that sheet is $38 a bottle?), on top of that the Ranger said there were Mountain (Timber) Ratlers all over the place, said they had never been this bad. Asked the reason, he said the same thing two other people told me previously, weather, rain driving the wildlife low Mountains. So far there has been one Bear chased back up the Mountain from behind Bi-Lo in Dayton, another one across from Bi-Low on the other side of 27, both within 2000 yards of my house in built up areas, another one that nearly came downtown, which would put him less than 500 yards away and several others, including those bears on the trail.

My wifes Aunts grandson hunts up towards Evensville, Evensville is about 5 miles from Dayton where Rhea County High School is. Posted these pics from his trail cam yesterday. (Taken on the 24th). I had never heard of Mountain Lions in East TN, so googled it and came across the link below the pics.







Link on Mountain Lion subject. Also, that runnung joke thread about the green eyed thing in my yard. Look behind my house, 300 yards away is the treeline, right behind that is Dayton Mountain. Im telling you there was a Bear or SOMETHING in my back yard that night. I would suggest that the reason the eyes glowed green was because of that cheapo light I was using.

http://www.topix.com/forum/news/topix/TTTN7NRFDSV9NPPD8

Damn,
Up until today I thought I was up to speed on the goings I in Dayton. I've not heard a thing about this neither have my parents. We also don't recall anything in the Chattanooga paper. I'll ask mr massengill (game warden) that lives in my mom and dads subdivision about it next time I see him.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

[Guest TankerHC]

Damn,
Up until today I thought I was up to speed on the goings I in Dayton. I've not heard a thing about this neither have my parents. We also don't recall anything in the Chattanooga paper. I'll ask mr massengill (game warden) that lives in my mom and dads subdivision about it next time I see him.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

 

 

Ask him about those Bears at Pocket Wilderness. The guy caused me to spend 38 bucks on a can of spray that says "This MAY assist in case of a bear attack". I dont want may, I want "Bear B Gone".

[Fourtyfive]

That's a Black Panther !

[Guest TankerHC]

That's a Black Panther !

 

 

I swear this is true but didnt want to say it. (Dangit, you made me) The guy at Pocket Wilderness told me they have been getting reports of a large black cat. Told me and my brother. But there are no "Black Panthers".. Florida Panthers are not even Panthers, they are Cougars, and, they are tan In 07 they caught a very rare black bobcat in Florida. (None since that I know of anywhere).

 

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1887921/posts

 

So I am convinced (I convinced myself by reading up) that the big black cat that ran across the road on the Natchez Trace in the middle of the night right in front of my headlights 2 years ago, was a big black housecat.

 

But that bear in the above pics, thats a real bear. I havent seen any of the others, only told. And as far as the papers, the Dayton Herald did report on one or two in the last couple of months. One they reported on actually showed up at a pond near downtown Spring City a month ago, not in Dayton.

[Wingshooter]

Confirmed at least one bear in northern Bradley County also. They're thriving and expanding their range

[Oh Shoot]

... But there are no "Black Panthers".. Florida Panthers are not even Panthers, they are Cougars, and, they are tan...

 

There is no such thing as a "panther" at all. It's a colloquial/slang name. "Black panthers" are melanistic jaguars and jaguarundis, possibly ocelots and margays in the New World and leopards in the Old.

 

Just comes from the Latin name for genus for some of them, Panthera,  although the genus name for the Cougar is Puma.

 

There has never been a documented case of a black Cougar, ever, in their entire range from Canada to South America or in captivity.

 

The Florida "Panther" population is now recognized as an isolated and physically smaller sub species of the Cougar. None of them black either. :)

 

- OS

Edited September 9, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Guest TankerHC]

Here's the article.

 

Black bear(s) in Rhea County

 

"Tennessee wildlife biologists have known and been telling us for a while now that the black bear population in Tennessee has expanded. That fact became very clear recently for Rhea County's Nick Brown."

 

http://www.nooga.com/163358/black-bears-in-rhea-county/

[buck1032]

Confirmed at least one bear in northern Bradley County also. They're thriving and expanding their range

 

I live N. Bradley County off HWY 60, just outside the city limits and I had a bear knock down my dog fence a few years ago. I took a picture of its paw print that I will post later tonight after I find it to upload.

[whitewolf001]

As far as hunting is concerned are they legal game? I know self defense is different but as far as hunting is concerned is more my question.

[Guest TankerHC]

As far as hunting is concerned are they legal game? I know self defense is different but as far as hunting is concerned is more my question.

 

 

According to the article hunting black bear is legal but only in certain counties.

 

Bear hunting in TN

 

http://www.tn.gov/twra/bearseasons.html

 

TN Black Bear guided Hunts

 

http://www.huntingtripsrus.com/black-bear-hunting/tennessee.html

 

Check this out. During Black Bear season in 1980 30 bears were taken. In 2009 571 were taken. bear season begins September 30. one bear, female or male.

 

http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/bearmanagement.pdf

Edited September 9, 2013 by TankerHC

[ncomarc]

$38 for Bear Spray? You should just take people with you can out-run......

[buck1032]

[URL=http://s290.photobucket.com/user/buck1032/media/THB/P8213098.jpg.html][/URL]

[Guest TankerHC]

$38 for Bear Spray? You should just take people with you can out-run......

 

 

I did last time. Just dont think my family would appreciate letting a bear eat a 6 year old. And me getting away. Would be too obvious. 

Edited September 10, 2013 by TankerHC

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

Ask him about those Bears at Pocket Wilderness. The guy caused me to spend 38 bucks on a can of spray that says "This MAY assist in case of a bear attack". I dont want may, I want "Bear B Gone".

I will cuz I know he'd know if there was an advisery out. I've not seen any out by cottonport just yotes.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

I swear this is true but didnt want to say it. (Dangit, you made me) The guy at Pocket Wilderness told me they have been getting reports of a large black cat. Told me and my brother. But there are no "Black Panthers".. Florida Panthers are not even Panthers, they are Cougars, and, they are tan In 07 they caught a very rare black bobcat in Florida. (None since that I know of anywhere).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1887921/posts

So I am convinced (I convinced myself by reading up) that the big black cat that ran across the road on the Natchez Trace in the middle of the night right in front of my headlights 2 years ago, was a big black housecat.

But that bear in the above pics, thats a real bear. I havent seen any of the others, only told. And as far as the papers, the Dayton Herald did report on one or two in the last couple of months. One they reported on actually showed up at a pond near downtown Spring City a month ago, not in Dayton.

Interesting. I guess I missed it.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

[Ugly]

There is no such thing as a "panther" at all. It's a colloquial/slang name. "Black panthers" are melanistic jaguars and jaguarundis, possibly ocelots and margays in the New World and leopards in the Old.

Just comes from the Latin name for genus for some of them, Panthera, although the genus name for the Cougar is Puma.

There has never been a documented case of a black Cougar, ever, in their entire range from Canada to South America or in captivity.

The Florida "Panther" population is now recognized as an isolated and physically smaller sub species of the Cougar. None of them black either. :)

- OS

I know this is an old post but had some recent bear activity on my property, a neighbors saw him and I found scat. This is a first as reported by my neighbor. I'm near the Smokies but a good distance away with plenty of civilization between them and me. That made me look up the cougar scene here and have read about some sightings. None yet here for me but I have witnessed 2 of them in north east Florida. The first one I saw was dark, not black as a bear but dark grey. The second one was tan and BIG. I called FWC to inquire and report, they said if I don't have actual proof it doesn't count as a sighting.
I love me some wildlife!

[Chris]

If anyone needs the bears shooed off their property, I'd be glad to come and hunt them. Trying to line up a hunt in East Tn for this fall anyway and I'd rather hunt private property if it's an option.

I've got several successful bear hunts under my belt and can conduct the hunts safely and responsibly. Additionally, I've got a good deal of experience hunting dangerous game of various stripes.

I'd even be glad to provide gifts, trades or out and out bribes for the opportunity.

PM me if interested.

[Ugly]

If anyone needs the bears shooed off their property, I'd be glad to come and hunt them. Trying to line up a hunt in East Tn for this fall anyway and I'd rather hunt private property if it's an option.
I've got several successful bear hunts under my belt and can conduct the hunts safely and responsibly. Additionally, I've got a good deal of experience hunting dangerous game of various stripes.
I'd even be glad to provide gifts, trades or out and out bribes for the opportunity.
PM me if interested.

My property is too small to hunt bear, good luck finding private land though, I try to avoid public land for hunting at all costs.