Black bear population booming in northern Michigan

[TomSea]

Black bear population booming in northern Michigan

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula is experiencing a bear boom.

The black bear population has risen 29 percent in the region since 2012 and almost 50 percent since 2000, according to wildlife management specialist Kevin Swanson of the Department of Natural Resources.

Swanson says complaints about nuisance bears are increasing, especially in the Baldwin management unit, which extends from Muskegon County north to Leelanau County.

Continued: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/02/15/black-bear-population-michigan/97937584/

[Norm Lenhart]

Clearly more hunting restrictions/fewer guns will solve this.

[goatprairie]

Bears are increasing in many of the heavily wooded northern states like Minnesota and Wisconsin as well.  Where I live (western Wisconsin) there are now bear colonies. One bear was sighted by a co-worker (who took pictures) ten years ago going through her neighborhood five miles south of me.   A bear crossing a highway 20 miles south of me was killed by a car around the same time.  A  bear was killed in a city park close to me 8-10 years ago.  There are also other critters (coyotes, pumas) in the area that haven't been seen for many decades.  Especially coyotes. 

[Cripplecreek]

Bears are increasing in many of the heavily wooded northern states like Minnesota and Wisconsin as well.  Where I live (western Wisconsin) there are now bear colonies. One bear was sighted by a co-worker (who took pictures) ten years ago going through her neighborhood five miles south of me.   A bear crossing a highway 20 miles south of me was killed by a car around the same time.  A  bear was killed in a city park close to me 8-10 years ago.  There are also other critters (coyotes, pumas) in the area that haven't been seen for many decades.  Especially coyotes.

Bears occasionally turn up as far south as where I live in Jackson county.

[goatprairie]

Bears occasionally turn up as far south as where I live in Jackson county.

I live in northern La Crosse County close to the Black River.

[Fishrrman]

Rockaway, New Jersey in 2014:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBhR5ToR7a8

6-min video, very interesting -- especially if it was in your yard!

[goatprairie]

Rockaway, New Jersey in 2014:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBhR5ToR7a8

6-min video, very interesting -- especially if it was in your yard!

Many bears entering human territory i.e. cities are unfortunately asking for a quick death from the authorities. 
About ten years ago in La Crosse, Wis a young, black bear male entered a city park after sniffing a female bear in estrus. After it entered the park it noticed quite a few people in the park and ran up a tree. The DNR was called out to handle the situation. Since they didn't have a tranquilizer gun they decided the bear would be too dangerous to just roust it from the tree.  They were afraid that the bear might run into one or some the many humans in the park watching the situation.   So they shot and killed it.
The DNR took a lot of criticism from many people for killing the bear who was not threatening anybody at the time. But from their standpoint if they had just got the bear out of the tree and let it go, it might have accidentally injured some picnickers.  Then they would have been held liable for allowing a wild animal to hurt citizens. Either way they couldn't win.
As it turned out a similar situation played out in Eau Claire, Wis a while later.  A bear entered a human populated area/park and was killed by the DNR which didn't have a tranquilizer gun. People think all wildlife people, DNR, etc.. have tranquilizer guns. They do not. If they think a wild critter will be a danger to the public, they will kill it if possible.  Wild critters don't sue for damages....people will.

[dfwgator]

Clearly more hunting restrictions/fewer guns will solve this.

#BlackBearLivesMatter