A question about bear behaviour

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oldbill

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I've spotted a large bear several times, always in the same stretch of a hydro cut. I saw it last fall several times and again this year. It's always actively feeding in the cut, on chokecherries or grasses.

The area I've spotted him in is mostly bush, though there is a dump less than 5km away from the hydro cut. I realize that the bears range would be large enough to include the dump, but once a bear is food conditioned at a dump, wouldn't it stay at the dump rather than forage for wild foods?

Generally this bear seems wary and not habituated to human contact, unlike dump bears I've seen which will climb up on your hood for a snickers bar...

So basically I'm wondering if it's more likely that this is a wild bear found fairly close to a dump, or a dump bear straying out for a natural snack.

I'm in mid north Ontario so the bear population is quite healthy.

On a side note I poured four cans of bear candies this weekend and cleared a shooting lane from my stand at another site, so I'm just about ready for the fall season. Seeing these spring bear threads has got me excited...
 
Yogi will eat and hang around any place that provides an easy meal. This time of year he may be eating vegetation to, um, blow out his intestines after his nap. The word 'dump' having several meanings. He may not be anywhere near that cut come Fall.
 
True. But I saw him there several times last fall and again first thing in spring, so I'm hoping the pattern repeats. Cheers.
 
A bear's nose always takes him where the best food source is, in any area. Even the presence of a dump, gets trumped by fresh, succulent plants in season. And all of the different types of plants and berries, that bruin eats, have differing seasons. Works out perfect for the bear.

Fresh grass, tender clover, dandelions, berries etc...

The only thing (besides hunters) that messes things up for a bear, is a bigger bear.
 
at least in BC I believe that all the landfills have electric bear fence around them to keep them out
I cant see why other province would not us them as well they work really good
 
Not too many fences in this area. Some are fenced, but I have not seen electric fences at all. I passed by a dump about 30km south of here and there were 4 bears hanging around the entrance way. A massive guy sitting on the road, a mid sized bear and two cubs. The bruin didn't even flinch when I drove past in my work truck 5' from him on the road.

This cut is thick with raspberries and chokecherry trees. If I see him consistently though summer I may take a shot at him in the fall...
 
oldbill said:
Not too many fences in this area. Some are fenced, but I have not seen electric fences at all. I passed by a dump about 30km south of here and there were 4 bears hanging around the entrance way. A massive guy sitting on the road, a mid sized bear and two cubs. The bruin didn't even flinch when I drove past in my work truck 5' from him on the road.

This cut is thick with raspberries and chokecherry trees. If I see him consistently though summer I may take a shot at him in the fall...
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i would think with the raspberries and chokecherries your bear will be to busy to think about the landfill with that good food in him he should taste delicious by early fall
 
FLHTCUI said:
I have not see the bear fence you speak of at Burns Bog near Vancouver and there are a couple bears there.
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most small towns in northern BC have them I dont know nothing about southern BC I avoid the lower mainland as much as I can
masset-port clements -sandspit -charlet city-prince rupert-terrace-stewart-houston-smithers-burns lake extra all have bear fence around there landfills i would bet there down south to
 
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A bear by choice makes use of a broad range of foods from grass, to berries, to fish, to fresh meat, to carrion, to garbage. Although its unusual for him to leave a known food source before it's exhausted, it does happen. They can be driven off by rivals, they are lured away to mate, or are just in the mood to wander. He knows the dump is a long term food source, so he isn't concerned that it will be exhausted before he returns, and this might make him willing to leave the dump as natural food sources become seasonably available.

Polar bears would hang out at the old Churchill dump until freeze-up, then overnight they'd be gone, heading out on the sea ice for the winter to hunt seals, or until the fresh ice was broken up too badly in storms for them to stay out there, and are forced back to shore. But they'd be gone again once the ice stiffed up to little more than slush. So it is with all bears, they are hard wired to search out natural foods as the seasons dictate, so while they might choose to dine at "the restaurant" for a while, those visits will likely be interrupted as natural foods become available.
 
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carverk said:
at least in BC I believe that all the landfills have electric bear fence around them to keep them out
I cant see why other province would not us them as well they work really good
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I have seen a number of dumps on "reservations" through out BC and AB over the years and seldom have I ever seen a fence. Many bears though at just about everyone.
 
Sorry carverk, my earlier reply about the bear fence was one of surprise more than trying to create controversy.
I ran into a couple from the South a few years ago on the ferry from Duke Point to Tsawwassen.
They had a 14 foot car topper loaded as was the truck.
They come to Canada yearly to fish out of Gold River and Camp on a small island and there are lots bears on this not so island .
They have a bear fence with solar to recharge the batteries to keep the curious ones away from the campsite.
Obviously they have never seen the video clip of the Grizzly bear , electric fence and the deer carcass experiment...
I'm all for keeping wild life out of the dump , but it can not be done for all of them and sad to say it sucks when they get shot when thye become habituated to the dump and the buffet there.
To the OP get out and enjoy the chase, doesnt mean you have to bust the cap when you see this guy again though.
Rob
 
FLHTCUI said:
Sorry carverk, my earlier reply about the bear fence was one of surprise more than trying to create controversy.
I ran into a couple from the South a few years ago on the ferry from Duke Point to Tsawwassen.
They had a 14 foot car topper loaded as was the truck.
They come to Canada yearly to fish out of Gold River and Camp on a small island and there are lots bears on this not so island .
They have a bear fence with solar to recharge the batteries to keep the curious ones away from the campsite.
Obviously they have never seen the video clip of the Grizzly bear , electric fence and the deer carcass experiment...
I'm all for keeping wild life out of the dump , but it can not be done for all of them and sad to say it sucks when they get shot when thye become habituated to the dump and the buffet there.
To the OP get out and enjoy the chase, doesnt mean you have to bust the cap when you see this guy again though.
Rob
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no biggie
I am a big advocate of using bear fence expeshly for guy not used to camping in bear country
I know in Stewart has saved a lot of bears from becoming dump bears just by putting up a pig fence all land fills should have one
 
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