House of Representatives move to Cut Wildlife Grants to States

 

Northern flying squirrel NC Wildlife Resources Commission
A very successful program that has helped countless species across the country has taken a significant cut. 

The State Wildlife Grants Program is the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered, according to the “State Wildlife Grants Five-Year Accomplishment Report.” From restoring bog turtle populations in North Carolina’s mountain wetlands to monitoring the state’s freshwater mussel populations, the program has been a model for conservation success. Despite the success of the last five years, the program received a major cut in funding by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, recommending only $50 million of the $74.7 in the President’s budget.

When so little of the funds that go into wildlife restoration come from non sportsmen sources  I hate to see any of that cut out.    As a taxpayer I like to see cuts but I’d like to see it in useless failing programs.  How about we make folks prove they are a citizen before we educate and feed them? 

With many state wildlife agencies on the brink cuts like this can not be absorbed and many projects will have to end or be scaled way back.

  “The State Wildlife Grants Program is an essential funding source for every state fish and wildlife
agency and a core program
for conserving our nation’s wildlife,” said Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. “State Wildlife Grants save taxpayer dollars by preventing more endangered species listings, and I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me in working to restore funding for State Wildlife Grants at $85 million.”

Links

News Story http://www.cherokeesentinel.com/news/2006/0531/home/078.html

Federal Info http://federalaid.fws.gov/grants/grantinf.html

North Carolina’s success stories http://www.teaming.com/Success%20Stories/PDF%20Success%20stories/North%20Carolina.pdf  

The Humming Bird Originally posted 5/06

 This time of year when my mother, who lives in Maine, and I talk on the phone the topic of hummingbirds no doubt will come up. Many folks in Maine know that spring has arrived when the fiddleheads do but for my Mom it’s when the hummers start hitting her feeder.

 

Arizona desert 2003 122’F and I spotted this guy taking a break in the shadow of a cactus.

[quote] Hummingbirds fascinate hu-mans with their delicate, two-inch long bodies and iridescent feathers, weighing as much as a dime and fearlessly visiting porch sugar-water feeders.
Their tiny wings beat so fast, it looks like a blur. They have needle-like beaks.
 [/quote]
 The hummingbird is a fascinating creature that can entertain for hours.  It’s not unusual for me to have one or two buzz me when I’m working in the yard and I have a bright red shirt on.  
Anyone from the Sandhills of North Carolina this upcoming weekend there will be a workshop on hummingbirds; [quote] Hummingbirds are definitely special for people,? said ornithologist Susan Campbell, who will hold a workshop Saturday morning at the Pinehurst Village Assembly Hall from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on how to attract hummingbirds to your yard. The workshop is free to the public and is the third in a series about different birds and wildlife begun in 2006 by the Pinehurst Conservation Commission?s Greenway Wildlife Habitat Committee. [/quote]
What I really found interesting about this article is that Susan Campbell spends most Wednesday’s catching and banding hummingbirds. [quote] Most Wednesday mornings, Campbell does her trapping, banding and recording at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines, where she works part-time as a naturalist. She allows visitors to observe while she traps and bands the birds, and examines ones she has already banded that may be caught in the trap.
 [/quote]
 Wow I can’t imagine banding hummingbirds.   If you want to read the entire article here is a link  http://www.thepilot.com/news/052406hummingbird.html

Here is some links to photo journals of hummingbird nests and the raising of the young.
http://community-2.webtv.net/hotmail.com/verle33/HummingBirdNest/
http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/

If you haven’t ever tried it pick up a feeder and some nectar mix ( or google for the correct recipe to make it yourself) and set it up around your home and see if you can attract some hummingbirds in this summer. 
 

One of the best photos I’ve ever seen of a hummingbird from last years NC Wildlife Contest

John Stroud, Raleigh
Hummingbird chasing away honeybee, Raleigh

Link to more info on Hummingbirds
http://www.hummingbirds.net/

It’s official the 10,000 number is shattered Originally posted 5/06

 [quote]“Finally!” biologist Mike Seamster said when the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission released the 2006 kill statistics.
North Carolina hunters broke through the 10,000 barrier. They broke through the 11,000-mark also, killing a record 11,706 turkeys during the month-long season that ended May 6.[/quote] The 10,000 milestone was expected to be broken in 2005 but was not but this year there was no doubt about it.  Despite my inability to notch a tag I knew from talking to folks we were going to break the 10,000.  [quote] Statewide, the increase was a whopping 19.1 percent.[/quote] North Carolina does not have anyway to track how many people actually go afield after turkeys but I think there was a lot more hunters out there.  All 100 counties in the state had an open season for just the second year.  There was a lot of interest in learning the sport; I helped out in two turkey schools, and I had a lot of first time hunters contacting me with questions.  http://www.illinoiswaters.net/heartland/phpBB2/weblog_entry.php?e=601
I’m hearing mixed reports on the Jake population; I didn’t see a single one this season, but other hunters are reporting seeing good numbers of Jakes.

 

[quote] The typical statewide percentage of jakes in the kill is normally between 15 and 20.[/quote] [quote] jakes made up only 13 percent of the overall kill[/quote]  That is a little bit of a drop, I suspect that there are pockets of areas  that had better then average 2005 hatches that account for the mixed reports. 
So what’s the outlook for next year?
[quote] Seamster said that it would probably take fantastic reproductive success this year for hunters to come close to the record level in next year’s spring season.
“We’ll probably come down to earth next year, because we won’t have that many 2-year-old birds in the woods, but a lot of that will depend on whether we have a good hatch this year,” Seamster said. “If we’re fortunate, we’ll have a lot of jakes in the woods next year. There will be some older birds, but there won’t be too many 2-year-olds.”[/quote]
Looks like a tough year but I’m confident that because the turkey population in the state has really taken off that despite a downturn there will still be some good hunting.  Besides if it’s a rough year I’ll share some of my turkey tag soup recipes. 
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137836217272&path=!sports&s=1037645509200

 

Creatures of Creation Originally posted 5/06

 The services at our church this past Sunday was anything but typical.  The speaker was Dan Breeding of Creatures of Creation an animal educator and trainer as well as an “Extreme Evangelist” a fitting description from “Outlook” Magazine. 

Dan utilized a  wide array of live props from Alligator, Horned Owl, Lemur, and white-handed gibbon to share not only myth busting facts about Creation vs Evolution but he also present the gospel message.

By using these creatures he was able to hold the attention of both young and old as he illustrated how they do exactly what God designed them to do and man can not because of sin.  Sin is a disease all men since Adam suffer from and Jesus is the only cure.  [quote] For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:21&22 [/quote]
[quote] For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 [/quote] American Standard Version
This was one sermon that nobody seemed to fall asleep in but a live 8 foot alligator at the front of the church may have had something to do with that. 

 

 This is a very unique ministry and Dan has a real burden to share God’s truth where ever he can.  Check out his website if you have the opportunity to see one of his presentations you should go and bring some friends and if you have a church or a group that would like him to come you should contact him.  If nothing else keep his ministry in prayer the animals can open a lot of doors to places that the gospel message needs to be heard.

Links

Creatures of Creation
http://www.creaturesofcreation.com/

Do You Know where you’ll spend eternity?
http://www.billygraham.org/SH_HowToBecomeAChristian.asp
Even Big Kids got a photo with the Gator 

Fallen Heroes of the Outdoors Originally posted 5/06

 This week is National Police Officers week and this past Monday was National Law Enforcement Memorial Day I can’t let it go by with out some reflections.  I want to especially remember the men and women who serve as Game Wardens and Park Rangers to keep us all safe.   For most of us our interactions with these officers is at a show or outdoor event and the occasional license safety check in the field.  Wildlife departments have been instrumental in the recovery of many game and non game species that we enjoy today.  Law Enforcement is an integrate part of the stability we see in many game species.  Many of these officers are working in harsh environments with limited backup and support.  Many of our parks and forests have become havens for illegal drug operations, and other illegal activities. The job of a warden and ranger I believe has become even more dangerous as resources get spread thin and the population expands.  Next time you come in contact with a ranger or a warden thank them for the job they do.

Memorial Day for the nation falls the end of this month but little seems to get said about the Law Enforcement Memorial Day which President Kennedy started many years ago.  Lets not forget those law enforcement officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice and the families they have left behind.  Many Park Rangers and Wildlife Officers are included in those ranks.   The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has lost 6 officers in the line of duty, thank God it has been 20 years since the ultimate sacrifice.  http://www.odmp.org/agency.php?agencyid=2816

Other agencies I have had contact with;

Maine Wardens      14 Wardens   http://www.odmp.org/agency.php?agencyid=2292

US Fish & Wildlife    8 Officers   http://www.odmp.org/agency.php?agencyid=3954

National Park Service  25 Rangers  http://www.odmp.org/agency.php?agencyid=2690

Here is a link to all the fallen law officers, broken down by States you can then look up your wildlife service. 

http://www.odmp.org/browse.php

God Bless the family and friends of all these fallen heroes, words can not express are gratitude for your loved one’s sacrifice.

[quote] “It is not how these officers died that made them heroes. It is how they lived.”
  Vivian Eney [/quote]
Words inscribed on the National Monument.

 

Record breaking Year for the State but Less then that for Me Originally posted 5/06

 Sources have told me that when North Carolina wildlife releases the numbers the 10,000 mark will be shattered with the harvest being 11,700+  A record breaking year and I didn’t punch a single one of my tags.
This was a tough season for me and it seemed that I had a bunch of bad luck following me around.  Opening day was a stormy day, I was in the mountains hoping to film my buddy’s wife killing her first bird.  The camera wouldn’t work but maybe that was for the best. We had a bearded hen come into our set up and the hunter would not believe me that was a legal bird in North Carolina to harvest.  Once convinced it was legal, we had so many hens around us, isolating the bearded hen was difficult.  The shot presented itself again and when I told her to take it she again declined.  She could see a couple of gobblers were headed our way but they stayed outside of the range of the shotgun.  After about 30 minutes of strutting they came in close enough to the side of the blind for her to shoot.  The shot was a clean miss but because of the thunderstorms the turkeys showed little reaction when the gun went off.  Moments latter they did react to my buddy walking up to see what she killed. 
A few days latter I was working some birds early afternoon in a field in the piedmont when one of my other hunting partners’s walked in on me and scattered the birds.  I made the mistake this year by not taking a vacation at the beginning of the season and could only get a few days off at the end. The last few days were some of the most exciting with out actual getting anything.  I called a gobbler in one evening and I learned that the foliage blocks a lot of the noise so they are closer then they sound.  I had one come in from behind me I was only half the way turned around when he showed up.  The tree I had been sitting against prevented me from swinging my gun far enough over to get a shot.  The next day I had another one come in behind me and the foliage was so thick I couldn’t see him.
To end the season I took three days in the middle of the week and went to Washington County to hunt.  I got busted by a gobbler by being impatient and moving to soon after he shut down gobbling.  Another 5-10 minutes he’d probably be there instead he was 60 yards from me and caught me moving to another calling spot. 
I also chased two gobblers down a logging road but never got close enough for a shot.  The last morning I set up in a field with two hen decoys out. There was a good breeze that morning and the gobblers were fired up on the roost.  They quieted down once they hit the ground but about 9am a lone gobbler entered the field.  He showed little interest in my calling or the decoys but he slowly drifted my direction.  I had my gun up and I was watching him get closer and closer to my range.  All of a sudden he goes to alert and Putts and I know he is ready to run.  I catch out of the corner of my eye my decoy spinning like a top. [I had put a couple of sticks in the ground to prevent this but the wind had worked them out]   I took the shot and afterwards as I paced it off I realized it was to far (47 paces).  That’s how my season ended but I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.  I may not be part of the record breaking success but next year’s season will be here before we know it  and hopefully I learned my lessons well.  Congratulations to all who filled their tags and to everyone that got out an chased the birds.

 

Fish On ! What the kind of fish is this? Originally posted 5/06

 

Well if you’ve ever found yourself in that position the latest release from the North Carolina Wildlife Commission is right up your alley.  Then again maybe you’re an expert but do you know what the current state record for a pumpkin seed is?  No!!  Then this new on line tool is made for you too.
[quote] Online Sport Fish ID Guide Now Available
RALEIGH, N.C. (May. 5, 2006) — Ever reeled in a fish and wondered, “What the heck is that?”
Well, wonder no more. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission this week unveiled the North Carolina Sport Fish Profiles Guide on its Web site to help anglers identify their catches.
The fish identification guide provides color illustrations of 33 of North Carolina’s most popular freshwater sport fish species, along with information about identifying characteristics, habitats and habits, tried-and-true fishing techniques and the best places to go fishing in the state.
 [/quote]
http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg03_Fishing/profiles/index.htm

This looks like a handy tool to help identify fish as well learn about the specie  and how to go about catching it.  Seems about the only thing they don’t tell you is the best way to cook them.  Even if your not fishing here in North Carolina there is plenty of information here to make you a better angler no matter where you call home.

 

Hunting with Mr. No Shoulders Originally posted 5/06

 Living most of my life in New England encounters with snakes was minimal but here in the south it is a different story.  Last year while moving an old wood pile at my hunting club I had a close encounter with a copperhead as it was attached to the log I picked up to move.  Luckily for me I grabbed on the tail end and it slid out of my hand and back into the wood pile.  We killed two copperheads that day before we finished moving that pile and I’m much more careful about where I put my hands and feet. 

 With the turkey season winding down and two tags burning a hole in my pocket I decided to try my luck at a friend’s place in Washington County.  Washington County in case you are unaware is loaded with wildlife; black bears (big ones), red wolves, coyotes, turkeys, and snakes.  Not owning snake boots or chaps I knew I’d have to be careful to avoid an encounter.  3 days of hunting I didn’t see any rattlesnakes.  I did encounter a black snake and a rather large corn snake which neither of these is poisonous or a threat to people.

I do get together with friends every summer in Washington County and we enjoy among many things fried rattlesnake.  If you haven’t had it before it is pretty good.  It’s a white meat with kind of a sweet taste to it.  Some says it tastes like chicken but to me its more like gator.

I returned from my hunt and read the story of a West Virginia hunter who had a run in with a timber rattler.
[quote] As he reached across a fallen log to gather a handful of moss, Paul Harvey felt something sting the back of his right hand.
Harvey swiveled his head to find the source of the sting, and what he saw chilled his blood — the catlike pupils and the flickering black tongue of a 5-foot timber rattlesnake.
“I knew right away that I was in trouble,” said the semi-retired coal miner. “The nearest phone was 45 minutes’ drive away, and no one was around to help me.”
 [/quote]

[quote] Harvey — who said he’s had “many, many close encounters” with rattlesnakes without ever having been struck — made the classic mistake most people make when they run afoul of venomous serpents.
“I wasn’t watching what I was doing,” he said. “I reached across a log to grab a piece of moss, but I had my head turned the wrong way and couldn’t see where I was reaching.”
The rattler nailed him as soon as his hand came into range.
“It didn’t start rattling until after it bit,” Harvey said. “Then it started buzzing up a storm.”
The two fang marks on Harvey’s hand measured at least an inch and a half apart.
 [/quote] 

[quote] “That was a big snake,” said the 55-year-old. “It was very dark, almost black, and its head was the size of my fist. Its body was as thick as my forearm. Coiled up, it was the size of a No. 3 washtub.”
Before he’d covered the 25 yards back to his truck, Harvey began to feel the venom’s effects.
“My lips and the tips of my fingers started to tingle,” he said. “By the time I’d driven a mile, my peripheral vision was gone and everything ahead of me started to go blurry, just as if I was looking into the sun. Then I started getting nauseated.”
For nearly 20 minutes, Harvey fought to control the truck as dizziness and waves of nausea racked his body. “I’d drive a while, then pull over and throw up for a while,” he said.
Still less than halfway to the nearest civilization, Harvey realized that his situation had become dire. Stopped beside the road in his truck, he wondered if he’d get out of the predicament alive.
“That’s when my friend came along,” he said.
Roger Kiser, a fellow turkey hunter from Swiss, pulled up behind Harvey’s truck to see what the problem was. “I told him I’d been bitten by a rattlesnake,” Harvey said. “He drove me the rest of the way to safety.”
 [/quote]
After being airlifted to a hospital and given antivenin and other medications he is recovering from what could of easily been an encounter that would of cost him his life. 
[quote] “I can’t wait to get back into the woods,” he said. “It wasn’t the snake’s fault that I got bit. I stuck my hand right where he was. The difference between this and all the other close calls I’ve had is that I was more careless.
“I can tell you one thing, though. I’ll sure have a more respect for what rattlesnakes can do to me this time around.” [/quote]   All of us can learn from this even if we live and play in areas where there are no poisonous snakes you can never be to careful because nature can be very unforgiving whether it’s a snake, wild animal or a rock slide.

Now that turkey season is over I hope to be more diligent on updating the blog.  Look for a detail report on my turkey season along with some great recipes for turkey tag soup.
Links of Interest

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/Today/2006050353

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/snakepix3.html

http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/reptiles/fatal-rattlesnake-bites.html

 

 

On the way back from the outhouse… Originally posted 4/06

 Sounds like the start of a joke but Harold  Cerda may beg to differ with you, seeing where he had a run in with a Black Bear. 
[quote] Harold Cerda had just left an outhouse on a southern Colorado ranch when a bear swatted him to the ground and chased him to his car, where he discovered the animal had also eaten his lunch.
“He sent me a good 10 or 15 feet,” Cerda told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday. “I’m used to hard falls because I used to ride bulls a lot. It’s pretty much the hardest I’ve been hit.”[/quote]
Getting swatted a good 10 feet and then chased back to your car has got to be an experience.  Then on top of that to discover the bear also ate your lunch too.  Talk about a bad day at least he hadn’t become lunch. 
[quote] Seraphin said the bear was apparently walking toward the outhouse as Cerda emerged.
“I think what happened was I surprised him, so he hit me,” Cerda said. He said the blow knocked him 10 to 15 feet.
After a few seconds, he spotted the bear a short distance away and started walking to his car. So did the bear.
“He started picking up his pace, and so did I,” Cerda said.
Once inside, he started the engine to get the electric windows up and noticed the remnants of his lunch. As the bear sniffed around the windows and chewed on the tires, Cerda snapped photos with his cell phone for a few minutes and drove away.[/quote]
I don’t believe I would of stuck around to snap a few photos for the old photo album.
How big a bear was it?
[quote] He guessed the cinnamon-colored black bear was anywhere from 150 to 500 pounds and nearly 61/2 feet tall when standing[/quote] 
Like I said before its hard for folks to estimate the size of a bear and that’s a classic example of a very broad description.  Well I don’t suspect there are many that read this blog that still have an outhouse but at my hunting club we do ( a 2 seater no less) and it will make me look twice before I open the door.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002960115_webbear28.html

 

When the Hunted Turns the Tables Originally posted 4/06

 

 

Lately there seems to be a lot of animals attacking human and the big question is why?  At this point in time there has not been any definitive determination on causes of the fatal bear mauling in Tennessee a few weeks ago.  Another attack that has made some press was the hunter in Washington State that was mauled by a bear over the weekend.  The information now coming out on this incident is that the hunter was hunting the bear that got him.
[quote] A man injured by a black bear had been chasing the animal on private timberland when the bear turned the tables on its pursuers, the investigating officer said Sunday. [/quote]
[quote] It appeared the hunters had been pursuing the bear for some time, said Fish and Wildlife Officer Brian Fairbanks.
“It’s like, you have the fight-or-flight response. It ran for so long, and then decided, ‘We’re not going to run any more,’” Fairbanks said.
At that point, the hunter and the bear were in heavy brush, the officer said. “He didn’t realize the bear was there, and when he got close enough the bear jumped out and grabbed him.”
 [/quote]
That is a risk we take when we pursue game especially animals bigger and stronger then us.
[quote] A second hunter shot and killed the bear before summoning help.
The injured man underwent surgery Sunday on a broken arm, Fairbanks said.
“The bear had grabbed his arm and dragged him down an embankment,” he said. “It required some surgery to put him together.”
The man, whose name was not released, also suffered a broken wrist and two bite wounds on the upper thigh.
It was a legal hunt, Fairbanks said, with no violation of conditions of the permit.
 [/quote]

Another report on the events…
[quote] Anton Cebe was following the hunting dogs through thick alder and fir trees when he heard a commotion and a shout — more of a growling yelp than a scream.
Seconds later, he saw the bear and fired. The animal dropped.
“I knew something had happened,” said Cebe, 24, of Cle Elum, Kittitas County. “I just didn’t know what.”
Cebe and three other hunters had spent Saturday on private land just outside Olympic National Park, trying to track a hungry black bear that had been stripping bark from valuable Douglas fir trees to reach the sugary sap on the trunk.
Now it was almost dusk. The bear was dead, and Cebe was racing back, shouting to his partner, Dave Johnson.
“I called to Dave and he just said, ‘It got me, it got me,’ ” Cebe said. “When I finally reached him, I could tell it wasn’t that bad. There wasn’t much blood. But it was startling. What do you do when your friend has bite marks on him? It was weird, man.”
The precise circumstances of the mauling Saturday evening by a 300-pound black bear were still unclear Monday. Johnson, who suffered a broken arm and wrist and bite wounds on his leg, was the only witness, and he remained hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
 [/quote]

He is certainly lucky he wasn’t more seriously hurt.  I guess this will be a story that those involved will share around some camp fires in the future. I wonder if next time he’ll rush into the brush or wait to see if the dogs can tree the bear before he moves in. 

My fascination with these stories I have been surfing the web looking for other resources on the subject and stumbled across Southeastern Outdoors a site that compiles records of fatal wild animal attacks in the US.  Check it out some great info

http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/fatal-wildlife-attacks.html 

 

News Story Links

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_Bear_Attack.html?source=mypi

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002951452_bear25m.html

Was the TN Mauling a Nuisance Bear Relocated to the area? Originally posted 4/06

People living in the rural area near where the attack happened are questioning if this is one of the nuisance bears moved here from the Gatlinburg area.

TWRA officer Les Jones said the bear did not have an ear tag or any other markings that they use to identify bears that have been relocated.

Tests on the bear captured so far have not shown it to be the bear responsible for the attack.

Williams said the necropsy so far does not positively link the first bear with the victims. He said further forensic tests could take weeks to complete and may not be able to make a positive link. He added a final confirmation may be made based on piecing together several elements of the investigation.

Early reports stated that hair was collected at the attack site, and its well documented that biologists have been utilizing hair DNA to count bears for population studies, so I don’t see how a positive ID can not be made.

The first bear trapped Easter Sunday weighs 203 pounds according to TWRA biologist Laura Lewis. She said a necropsy shows the bear did not have rabies and had no signs of a neurological disorder or disease that could alter the bears’ behavior or make it more aggressive.

If this is the bear responsible for the attack other then it acting like a predator there would appear to be no other explanation for why it attacked this family.
A second much smaller bear has been captured and its being held alive until all tests on the first bear come back.

TWRA officers said they trapped a second bear but do not think it was the one that killed 6 year old Elora Petrasek and seriously mauled her mother Susan Cenkus and her two year old son Luke.

The second bear is a male weighing about 120 pounds. Witness accounts have the suspect bear weighing closer to 200 to 225 pounds.

In my experience people often misjudge the weight of an animal often over estimate the size.

A West Polk County Fire-Rescue officer earlier said he fired a .380 hand gun twice at the bear when he found it standing over Eloras’ body and thought he struck the animal. The bear ran into the woods.

Rangers and wardens, who would have more experience at judging a size of a bear, must have arrived on the scene after the bear left if a Fire Rescue officer had to shoot at the bear.
I wonder if Tennessee officials will relook at how they handle nuisance bears? Currently the University of Florida is studying the effectiveness of moving problem bears. Past studies have shown that bears have a great ability to travel back to their “home range” after being relocated.

Black bears have a well-developed homing instinct and are capable of returning to their home range from long distances. In New York, 22 (42%) of 52 nuisance bears transported 9 to 67 miles returned to the origin. Returns dropped when bears were moved >40 miles but 1 male returned from 56 miles away. In Pennsylvania, 20 (48%) of 42 translocated nuisance bears returned from distances <40 miles. In British Columbia, 68% of nuisance bears returned when moved up to 50 miles. Translocation studies in 11 states and provinces suggest that adult bears must be moved >40 miles to ensure <50% return. In Virginia, studies suggested that translocations <50 miles were ineffective. Young males appear to show less site fidelity and may be translocated shorter distances. The basic mechanisms involved in homing and orientation are unknown but do not involve random movements or an expanding search pattern. Homeward orientation does not require familiarity with the release site and may function at distances up to 168 miles.

Bears conflict with humans will continue to rise as more and more of the habitat the bear needs is lost. Additionally more people moving into rural areas that have little experience or common sense when faced with the challenges of the “wilderness”.
The rest of the family injured in this attack continue to progress in the physical healing.
[quote] Susan Cenkus of Clyde, Ohio, survivor of a bear attack at Cherokee National Forest last Thursday, remains in stable condition in an intensive care unit at Erlanger. But today she was well enough to have a short visit with her two-year-old son, Luke.

Still listed in fair condition at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, Luke continues to show steady improvement and has been watching television, playing and spending time with his father and extended family members, hospital officials said.[/quote]
A fund has been established to assist the family

Citizens of Polk County, Tn., where the attack took place, have established a fund to assist with funeral expenses for Susan’s six-year-old daughter Elora Petrosek, who was killed in the attack, and medical expenses for Susan and Luke.

To make a donation, visit any branch of First Tennessee Bank or call (423) 757-4011.

Links
News Reports
http://www.newschannel9.com/engine.pl?station=wtvc&id=4099&template=breakout_story1.shtml&dateformat=%25M+%25e,%25Y
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_84119.asp
Other info
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_bear_biology_faqs.htm
http://www.wildflorida.org/bear/research.htm

Tennessee Bear Attack Originally posted 4/06

I’ve been out in the woods chasing turkeys but even I heard about the horrible story of the bear mauling in Cherokee National Forest.  I can not imagine what this family is going through and my heart goes out to them.
[quote] The 6-year-old girl killed by a black bear was a nature lover and had made many visits to the mountaintop swimming hole where the animal attacked her, her mother and 2-year-old half brother, relatives said Monday.
 [/quote] 
I know that at times I’ve been in situations that could of taken a bad turn.  I’ve been charged by moose before and I like to give wild animals space so as not to be threatened.   Although black bear attacks are rare they do take place and fatalities from these attacks as we know do happen. This is only the 2nd attack in modern history in Tennessee and that too was a fatal attack.

 [quote]
GATLINBURG – Officials at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park released their final report last week on the May 2000 death of Sevier County teacher Glenda Ann Bradley.
Bradley, who was regarded as an experienced hiker in the Smoky Mountains, was believed to have been attacked by two bears during a hike along the Little River Trail at the intersection with Goshen Prong Trail. Rangers with GSMNP later arrived on the scene and killed both the sow and the cub believed to have attacked Bradley. It marked the first time in the history of the National Park Service that someone had died as a result of a black bear attack.
Officials say their investigation and the autopsy results performed by East Tennessee State University’s College of Medicine “confirmed the preliminary findings that Bradley died of injuries due to bear attack.” The manner of death was ruled as an accident. [/quote]

At this point in time we do not have all the information in this attack to see what the causes of it may have been.  Evidence collected at the scene will allow officials through the use of dna determine if the bear capture and killed Sunday  was the bear responsible for this mauling.  [quote] Animal experts from the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine will perform a necropsy today (around 2:00 p.m. EDT) on a black bear suspected of killing a young girl in the Cherokee National Forest and seriously injuring her mother and brother. Authorities believe the male bear they killed Sunday is the same animal that attacked the family near Benton. But they will continue to trap bears in the area where the attack occurred until they can confirm the bear’s identity, said Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesman Dan Hicks.
 [/quote]

Additionally beyond verifying they have the right bear they will also be looking for disease or injuries. [quote] The first priority will be to test the animal’s brain for signs of rabies, said Dr. Linden Craig, a pathobiologist at the U.T. facility where the bear’s remains were taken Sunday.
“If it doesn’t have rabies, hopefully we can find something else wrong with it that could explain its behavior,” she said.  [/quote]

Preliminary reports from the attack site paint a horrific situation [quote] the place where Susan Cenkus, her two-year-old son, Luke, six-year-old daughter, Elora, and others were playing when a killer black bear appeared from the brush.

According to Dan Hicks, a Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officer, the bear went straight for the Luke and picked the baby up by the head with its mouth.

As with most mother’s, Susan’s maternal instinct took over. She fought the bear while the other adults yelled and threw sticks and stones. The bear then grabbed and dragged Susan about fifty yards away.

During all the chaos, her Elora ran off.

While Susan and her son received medical treatment, Thursday evening search and rescue crews spread out for the missing girl. They found her about 100 yards from the falls with the bear hovering over her. The search team shot at the bear as it ran off, but Elora was already dead.

“We can only theorize that she may have been running in fear, and at the same time, the bear used the same exit route and came into contact with her possibily running, which would simulate a possible prey-like situation,” said Hicks.
 [/quote]
Great Smoky National Park offers some advice on what to do when meeting a bear.
[quote] Bears in the park are wild and their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Treat bear encounters with extreme caution and follow these guidelines:
If you see a bear remain watchful. Do not approach it. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.)—you’re too close. Being too close may promote aggressive behavior from the bear such as running toward you, making loud noises, or swatting the ground. The bear is demanding more space. Don’t run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Try to increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same.
If a bear persistently follows or approaches you, without vocalizing, or paw swatting, try changing your direction. If the bear continues to follow you, stand your ground. If the bear gets closer, talk loudly or shout at it. Act aggressively and try to intimidate the bear. Act together as a group if you have companions. Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground). Throw non-food objects such as rocks at the bear. Use a deterrent such as a stout stick. Don’t run and don’t turn away from the bear. Don’t leave food for the bear; this encourages further problems.
Most injuries from black bear attacks are minor and result from a bear attempting to get at people’s food. If the bear’s behavior indicates that it is after your food and you’re physically attacked, separate yourself from the food and slowly back away.
If the bear shows no interest in your food and you’re physically attacked, fight back aggressively with any available object–the bear may consider you as prey! Help protect others, report all bear incidents to a park ranger immediately. Above all, keep your distance from bears!
 [/quote]

 

There is nothing to suggest that this family took any added risks or made poor choices that contributed to this problem.  Every thing I’ve read suggests that they were outdoor types who knew what they were doing.  This I guess is what makes stories like this and the Glenda Bradley story so disturbing because anyone of us could find us in a similar situation.

Now I have witnessed many folks taking dumb risks in regards to wild animals to get that great photo.  I think some times people inside a National Park think the animals are really tame and just on display.  Back a few years ago park rangers arrested a GSMNP visitor who attacked a black bear that was attempting to eat a whitetail fawn.  Enjoy nature but also respect it and the danger it can present.
Links
News Stories
http://monroe.xtn.net/index.php?table=news&template=news.view.subscriber&newsid=129938

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/04/17/bear.attack.ap/
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/04/14/bear.attack.ap/index.html
http://www.newschannel9.com/engine.pl?station=wtvc&id=4072&template=breakout_story1.shtml&dateformat=%25M+%25e,%25Y
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/beartrap.html

2000 GSMNP Fatal Bear Attack
http://www.imagesbuilder.com/gsmnp/bear-attack-in-smokies.html
http://www.imagesbuilder.com/gsmnp/death-caused-by-bears.html

Bear Links
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/pphtml/highlights383.html
http://fieldtripearth.org/div_index.xml?id=4
http://fieldtripearth.org/div_index.xml?id=4

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