Comments | byron_bear: What wakes a bear up?

byron_bear

What wakes a bear up?

Jan 02, 2009 08:10

The days of autumn have floated by and winter at present is mild where I am. I've been content with the progress made through the last year. The effects of my efforts have provided sanctuary for 8 former performing bears and have seen 12 orphan bear cubs rehabilitated and now they are in hibernation. I doubt that I would much have stirred, ( Read more... )

bear cubs, bear hunt, dreams, sleeplessness

Comments 19

(The comment has been removed)

Bambi Effect byron_bear January 2 2009, 17:50:09 UTC

No I don't feel like it. I wonder if becoming a public bear has been the right choice? Have I exacerbated the situation? I do know that any person who goes and hunts a bear and brings home a 'trophy' into a home where the children have met me and played with me, the Bambi effect is going to zap them.

sewfastdancer January 2 2009, 16:19:46 UTC

What time? There is a possibility that I can make it.

7pm wildlife meeting byron_bear January 2 2009, 18:01:56 UTC

there are the following meetings taking place for public input. Each meeting occurs at 7pm on the date I list. I'll be at the Jenks meeting to speak up on behalf of the mother bears and cubs. Here's the list which isn't being really published by the department, they only mention meetings will be held and depend upon the people to find out where and when. Best do things without public input, right? grrrrr ( ... )

Re: 7pm wildlife meeting sewfastdancer January 2 2009, 18:36:26 UTC

Thank You, I will see what I can do.

Re: 7pm wildlife meeting sewfastdancer January 2 2009, 18:46:27 UTC

I will be at the Muskogee meeting at 4:45. Any advice on things I should bring would be greatly appreciated.

Thread 5

magpieweaver January 2 2009, 16:42:56 UTC

Wish I could come. This is something we will have to watch in the future as the bear population expands in Missouri.

Bears Protected in Missouri byron_bear January 2 2009, 18:06:41 UTC

So far bears are protected from hunting in Missouri. The state considers them as being a part of the ecosystem and have had few problem bears and have not had to destroy a bear in the passed couple years that I can document. Sightings are becoming more frequent in the Ozarks. Hopefully bears will continue protected however, Texas AND Missouri are looking at Oklahoma as they decide to go ahead with a hunt and Texas has said it will follow the example of Oklahoma.

You can call the department next week byron_bear January 8 2009, 04:26:44 UTC

The number is (405) 521-3852 for the wildlife controlled hunt office. Beginning Monday and until the 16th they will take public input over the phone. That'd be helpful Magpie =)

moontrail January 3 2009, 16:00:46 UTC

Why would a hunter in his right mind want to even shoot a mother bear with little cubs by her side? And if he enjoys hunting, common sense should tell him that if the cubs survive by allowing the mother to live, then there will be more bears in the future for him to choose from.

Machismo byron_bear January 3 2009, 22:00:29 UTC

That is a question which I can not answer. That the state has even considered hunting bears with a population less than the seed population required by Arkansas back in 1958 when it determined to re-introduce bears into the Kiamichi and Ozark Mountains (there were no bears left in a state which prided itself on having bears!). If that were a guideline then this state should not even consider hunting bears for another twenty years at least ( ... )

Re: Machismo moontrail January 3 2009, 22:07:31 UTC

I don't think an animal needs to be hunted unless it's for food.

Re: Machismo byron_bear January 4 2009, 00:42:32 UTC

I agree with you. My difficulty is that I must also have the hunter in mind if I am going to actually influence the hunters. I have been very active trying to influence this and the states which surround me NOT to hunt bears. Now, it is no longer a question of whether Oklahoma will hunt bears, the hunt is slated for October during deer season ( ... )

Thread 8

romani123 January 3 2009, 22:07:43 UTC

I had no idea such a big animal could live off mainly bugs!

Bugs bugs bugs byron_bear January 4 2009, 00:52:07 UTC

Insects form a large part of a black bear diet. If a bear finds a large ant pile he will plomp his paw in the middle of it, let the ants swarm over the paw and carefully lick them off often-times consuming the entire colony before moving on. Bears often break up rotted trees in order to eat the Grubs and larvae found in rotting wood. This removes infestations and breaks down the rotted wood so that it more quickly returns it's nourishment into the earth.

While bears like insects; nuts, berries, tubers and tinder roots like cat tails are also sources of interest for a bear. Since the foods a bear likes comes in such small portions a bear needs to eat constantly to be in shape for hibernation.