Black bear attacks mountain biker in Washington State park



On Sep 3, 9:23 am, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
> What crime did the bear commit, that it deserves to die?! She was only
> defending her cubs!
>
> Mike
>
> http://www.komotv.com/news/9538012.html:
>
> Black bear attacks bicyclist in park
>
> Story Published: Sep 2, 2007 at 4:14 PM PDT
>
> Story Updated: Sep 3, 2007 at 7:33 AM PDT
>
> By KOMO Staff
>
> Watch the story
> NEAR OLLALA, Wash. -- A man was attacked by a bear while mountain
> biking in the Banner Forest Heritage Park just before noon on Sunday,
> according to South Kitsap Fire and Rescue officials.
>
> Spokesman Ron Powers said a 51-year-old Port Orchard man was biking
> with his two dogs alongside him when the dogs ran ahead and around the
> bend, then started barking fiercely. The man turned the bend and saw
> the dogs were barking at a bear.
>
> Powers said the bear immediately charged at the man, who tried to use
> his bike to shield himself from the animal. But the bear managed to
> injure the man's arm, back, neck and ear before he was able to get
> back on his bike and ride away.
>
> Down the path, the injured man ran into other mountain bikers, who
> called 911.
>
> The man was conscious and alert when he was taken to St. Joseph
> Medical Center in Tacoma. The unidentified man is in serious
> condition, but is expected to recover.
>
> One of the man's dogs is still missing. It is not known whether the
> dog suffered injuries during the attack. The second dog is said to be
> OK.
>
> Officials evacuated the park and shut it down in order to search for
> the bear. Powers said if the bear is found, officials plan to kill it.
> Officials said crews will search through the night until the bear is
> found.
>
> Another bicyclist who was at the park on Sunday told authorities he
> saw mother bear and two cubs while riding on the trail.
>
> Powers said Sunday's attack is a freak accident, stating black bears
> rarely attack humans and, unless provoked or threatened, will run
> away. The man or the dogs may have appeared as a threat to the bear,
> who may have been protecting her cubs, Powers said.
>
> Area resident Teri Nelson agrees, while bears are not uncommon at the
> park, she didn't expect them to be aggressive.
>
> "Attacking somebody would make me have second thoughts about walking
> through this forest by myself," she said. "It's pretty scary."
> --
> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
> humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
> years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande


Hi, I'm new to this com method but have enjoyed the dialogue and wish
to add something. My Standard Poodle and I were attacked near Ashland,
OR on September 10th. I was returning from hiking a remote trail above
my home and the dog, unleashed and about 15 yards ahead, evidently
bumped into the bear and a short fight occurred. The dog has about 20
stictches in her left hind quarter but has pretty much recovered
already. As the dog yelped and exited Manzanita trailside shrubs, she
ran toward me with the bear, possibly a young male, re-focused on me,
snarling and growling at my feet. I had hiking poles and was waving
them at him and screaming loudly as he charged. When he got very
close, I got my hiking poles in his face and continued yelling at the
top of my lungs. The dog, somewhere behind me, was awol, just as well.
I used the poles like the Kitsap fellow tried to use his bike. I'm 6'
3". After about a minute during which I thought there was a good
chance of him biting and clawing me, he backed slowly down the trail
and exited the way he came. I've hiked in bear habitat for forty years
and seen bears. I have a healthy respect for them but have not been
particularly fearful and take standard precautions. I believe this
bear was surprised by my dog and protecting his territory. Folks like
me have intruded on the bears over the years but I was within two
miles of my home and I don't plan on staying inside. I have added bear
spray to my shirt pocket and would have used it as he remained at
arm's length for some time during the encounter. Charlie Kehoe,
Ashland, OR
 
On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:00:22 -0700, y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sep 14, 6:33 pm, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:20:24 -0800, [email protected] (Floyd L.
>> >The fact is that an *intelligent* human *can* reason out
>> >the fact that the bear is now very likely to be a
>> >significant danger to humans. The only safe action for
>> >humans is to kill that particular bear.

>>
>> BS. If you are so smart, you should be able to figure out that ALL
>> bears are dangerous, and so you should stay out of their habitat. DUH!

>
>Sure. Why didn't we already think of that? I guess we should all
>start by vacating all of Yosemite, Yellowstone. Move people out of
>their rural homes in Idaho, the Sierras, the Cascades, etc. I'll
>probably should never go to Lake Tahoe again, since "bears are
>dangerous". I guess the American Indians had it all wrong not getting
>the heck out of areas where bears lived, which includes the Berkeley
>Hills (where I live) and even as far as San Francisco in the early
>1900's.
>
>Heck - several black bears came into Reno, Nevada on occasion and
>started raiding trash cans. I guess that's their habitat now. Better
>move people out.
>
>Seriously though (for people who can reason better than Vandeman) -
>bears aren't statistically dangerous.


Then the people who were killed by bears aren't statistically dead!
But they still aren't coming back....

It's the rare case where bears
>have the potential to cause harm to people. Black bears have
>coexisted alongside people in North America for thousands of years,


That's nowhere long enough for the bears to evolve defenses against
humans and their weapons.

>and there's not going to be some massive die-off because an animal is
>alongside a human presence. It's respect that should minimize
>potential harm to humans and bears, and not a separation of the
>habitats of humans and bears. Fact is - people are living and
>visiting in areas where bears live, and nothing is going to change
>that. Most of the time, it's not an issue. In the rare case where a
>bear does show the propensity to injure a person, I have no problem if
>it is put down. I respect bears,


No, you don't. Yours is the same attitude that drove the California
grizzly extinct: "Humans ALWAYS come first"!

but I don't romanticize them as some
>noble creature that must be preserved at all costs.

--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
 
On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:07:40 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>On Sep 3, 9:23 am, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> What crime did the bear commit, that it deserves to die?! She was only
>> defending her cubs!
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> http://www.komotv.com/news/9538012.html:
>>
>> Black bear attacks bicyclist in park
>>
>> Story Published: Sep 2, 2007 at 4:14 PM PDT
>>
>> Story Updated: Sep 3, 2007 at 7:33 AM PDT
>>
>> By KOMO Staff
>>
>> Watch the story
>> NEAR OLLALA, Wash. -- A man was attacked by a bear while mountain
>> biking in the Banner Forest Heritage Park just before noon on Sunday,
>> according to South Kitsap Fire and Rescue officials.
>>
>> Spokesman Ron Powers said a 51-year-old Port Orchard man was biking
>> with his two dogs alongside him when the dogs ran ahead and around the
>> bend, then started barking fiercely. The man turned the bend and saw
>> the dogs were barking at a bear.
>>
>> Powers said the bear immediately charged at the man, who tried to use
>> his bike to shield himself from the animal. But the bear managed to
>> injure the man's arm, back, neck and ear before he was able to get
>> back on his bike and ride away.
>>
>> Down the path, the injured man ran into other mountain bikers, who
>> called 911.
>>
>> The man was conscious and alert when he was taken to St. Joseph
>> Medical Center in Tacoma. The unidentified man is in serious
>> condition, but is expected to recover.
>>
>> One of the man's dogs is still missing. It is not known whether the
>> dog suffered injuries during the attack. The second dog is said to be
>> OK.
>>
>> Officials evacuated the park and shut it down in order to search for
>> the bear. Powers said if the bear is found, officials plan to kill it.
>> Officials said crews will search through the night until the bear is
>> found.
>>
>> Another bicyclist who was at the park on Sunday told authorities he
>> saw mother bear and two cubs while riding on the trail.
>>
>> Powers said Sunday's attack is a freak accident, stating black bears
>> rarely attack humans and, unless provoked or threatened, will run
>> away. The man or the dogs may have appeared as a threat to the bear,
>> who may have been protecting her cubs, Powers said.
>>
>> Area resident Teri Nelson agrees, while bears are not uncommon at the
>> park, she didn't expect them to be aggressive.
>>
>> "Attacking somebody would make me have second thoughts about walking
>> through this forest by myself," she said. "It's pretty scary."
>> --
>> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
>> humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
>> years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>>
>> Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!
>>
>> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

>
>Hi, I'm new to this com method but have enjoyed the dialogue and wish
>to add something. My Standard Poodle and I were attacked near Ashland,
>OR on September 10th. I was returning from hiking a remote trail above
>my home and the dog, unleashed and about 15 yards ahead, evidently
>bumped into the bear and a short fight occurred. The dog has about 20
>stictches in her left hind quarter but has pretty much recovered
>already. As the dog yelped and exited Manzanita trailside shrubs, she
>ran toward me with the bear, possibly a young male, re-focused on me,
>snarling and growling at my feet. I had hiking poles and was waving
>them at him and screaming loudly as he charged. When he got very
>close, I got my hiking poles in his face and continued yelling at the
>top of my lungs. The dog, somewhere behind me, was awol, just as well.
>I used the poles like the Kitsap fellow tried to use his bike. I'm 6'
>3". After about a minute during which I thought there was a good
>chance of him biting and clawing me, he backed slowly down the trail
>and exited the way he came. I've hiked in bear habitat for forty years
>and seen bears. I have a healthy respect for them but have not been
>particularly fearful and take standard precautions. I believe this
>bear was surprised by my dog and protecting his territory. Folks like
>me have intruded on the bears over the years but I was within two
>miles of my home and I don't plan on staying inside.


Then don't plan on living too long. None of this would help you
against a bigger bear. By allowing your dog off-leash, and not backong
off, you are asking to be attacked.

I have added bear
>spray to my shirt pocket and would have used it as he remained at
>arm's length for some time during the encounter. Charlie Kehoe,
>Ashland, OR

--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
 
On Sep 17, 8:12 am, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:00:22 -0700,y_p_w<[email protected]> wrote:
> >On Sep 14, 6:33 pm, Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:20:24 -0800, [email protected] (Floyd L.
> >> >The fact is that an *intelligent* human *can* reason out
> >> >the fact that the bear is now very likely to be a
> >> >significant danger to humans. The only safe action for
> >> >humans is to kill that particular bear.

>
> >> BS. If you are so smart, you should be able to figure out that ALL
> >> bears are dangerous, and so you should stay out of their habitat. DUH!

>
> >Sure. Why didn't we already think of that? I guess we should all
> >start by vacating all of Yosemite, Yellowstone. Move people out of
> >their rural homes in Idaho, the Sierras, the Cascades, etc. I'll
> >probably should never go to Lake Tahoe again, since "bears are
> >dangerous". I guess the American Indians had it all wrong not getting
> >the heck out of areas where bears lived, which includes the Berkeley
> >Hills (where I live) and even as far as San Francisco in the early
> >1900's.

>
> >Heck - several black bears came into Reno, Nevada on occasion and
> >started raiding trash cans. I guess that's their habitat now. Better
> >move people out.

>
> >Seriously though (for people who can reason better than Vandeman) -
> >bears aren't statistically dangerous.

>
> Then the people who were killed by bears aren't statistically dead!
> But they still aren't coming back....


The people killed by black bears are aberrations. Besides that,
there's never been a recorded case of a black bear ever killing a
person in California. If I were someone going backcountry camping or
mountain biking in the Cascades, Sierras, or Rockies, I'd be more
concerned with the possibility of a fatal traffic accident or
carjacking than a bear attack. Dying from a heart attack is more
likely.

> It's the rare case where bears
>
> >have the potential to cause harm to people. Black bears have
> >coexisted alongside people in North America for thousands of years,

>
> That's nowhere long enough for the bears to evolve defenses against
> humans and their weapons.


Wha? I rolling my on my ass laughing so hard.

> >and there's not going to be some massive die-off because an animal is
> >alongside a human presence. It's respect that should minimize
> >potential harm to humans and bears, and not a separation of the
> >habitats of humans and bears. Fact is - people are living and
> >visiting in areas where bears live, and nothing is going to change
> >that. Most of the time, it's not an issue. In the rare case where a
> >bear does show the propensity to injure a person, I have no problem if
> >it is put down. I respect bears,

>
> No, you don't. Yours is the same attitude that drove the California
> grizzly extinct: "Humans ALWAYS come first"!


No. The attitude that people had to hunt everything because there was
supposedly an inexhaustible supply is what drove the California
grizzly extinct. The American black bear is nowhere near going
extinct. I'm not a big proponent of hunting for the sake of hunting.
However - I have no problem if a bear with a recognized potential to
harm humans is put down.

I do think it's tragic when a bear is killed. If I recall correctly,
the American Indian were known to "apologize" to their amimal
bretheren for hunting them.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> Hi, I'm new to this com method but have enjoyed the dialogue and wish
> to add something. My Standard Poodle and I were attacked near Ashland,
> OR on September 10th. I was returning from hiking a remote trail above
> my home and the dog, unleashed and about 15 yards ahead, evidently
> bumped into the bear and a short fight occurred. The dog has about 20
> stictches in her left hind quarter but has pretty much recovered
> already. As the dog yelped and exited Manzanita trailside shrubs, she
> ran toward me with the bear, possibly a young male, re-focused on me,
> snarling and growling at my feet. I had hiking poles and was waving
> them at him and screaming loudly as he charged. When he got very
> close, I got my hiking poles in his face and continued yelling at the
> top of my lungs. The dog, somewhere behind me, was awol, just as well.
> I used the poles like the Kitsap fellow tried to use his bike. I'm 6'
> 3". After about a minute during which I thought there was a good
> chance of him biting and clawing me, he backed slowly down the trail
> and exited the way he came. I've hiked in bear habitat for forty years
> and seen bears. I have a healthy respect for them but have not been
> particularly fearful and take standard precautions. I believe this
> bear was surprised by my dog and protecting his territory. Folks like
> me have intruded on the bears over the years but I was within two
> miles of my home and I don't plan on staying inside. I have added bear
> spray to my shirt pocket and would have used it as he remained at
> arm's length for some time during the encounter. Charlie Kehoe,
> Ashland, OR


Hmmm, Seems to "Me", that you should teach your Doggie, to heal,
and stay closer to you, while in the woods. Your encounter with
the the Black Bear, is one of many encounters, that are caused
by the same set of circumstances.

Doggie runs out of sight, of owner. Doggie encounters Bear. Doggie
Starts barking, and harassing Black Bear. Black Bear is startled, and
goes on defense, but can't catch the little pest. Black Bear finally
goes "Postal" and whacks Doggie with paw. Doggie learns Bears are
dangerous, and heads for Master, Post Haste. Enraged Black Bear chases
after Doggie, in Fullout Attack Mode. Master sees Doggie returning, with
Black Bear on it's trail, coming like a "Strong Wind on a Nasty Day".
Master dumps load in his/her shorts.

The ending of the senerio, is variable, depending on the stance of the
"Master", the bluff of the Bear, and the size, and age of the Bear.
It is about 50/50 if you get munched. Usually younger Male Black Bears
with little human interaction, will continue on, and munch you. Older
and more habituated Black Bears, will bluff charge, and then when
confronted with what they preceive as a "Bigger, Noisier, and Meaner,
Specie, will retreat.

Black Bear Software is really very primative, but when in Fullout
Attach Mode, Sensual Interupts are Masked, and it takes a BIG
Hardware Interupt, to break out of that Mode. Usually a Good Whack on
the Nose, does it, but there are instances, where that just doesn't
work, and then your LUNCH.

Charlie, you have no idea just how lucky you are...........
 
AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these days.
It seems the bears are responding to a shortage in the food chain that has
resulted from several years of drought in the western states.
 
"Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these days.


Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of news
reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks by
black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in Maine, we
have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi. I don't
recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear here. I
have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet from a
mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any attempt to
attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one occasion, the bear
just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my flash.
 
On Sep 17, 11:40 am, y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
[snip]
> The people killed by black bears are aberrations.


I think you mean to say that the killing of people
by black bears is an aberration, not that the people
are...

Oh. You were talking about Mickey.
Socks
 
On Sep 16, 7:07 pm, [email protected] wrote:
[git with dog harrassing bear, surprised at bear attacking him]
> I believe this
> bear was surprised by my dog and protecting his territory.


Even the git knows he's a git.

> Folks like
> me have intruded on the bears over the years but I was within two
> miles of my home and I don't plan on staying inside.


If you've no respect for your horrible self, you could at least
have some respect for the bear. If your shredded carcass is
found beside the trail then it's a fairly strong possibility the
bear will wind up destroyed. You won't be any loss. We can
always find another idiot to replace you. And your dog sure
won't be missed by anybody. But the bears are getting rare.

Why don't you get yoursefl an x-box and move to the city?
You don't understand wilderness.

At the very least, get a leash for your mutt and keep it on
the leash at all times in bear country. Or leave the flea
circus at home and let others enjoy the woods.
Socks
 
On Sep 17, 7:02 pm, "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
>
> > AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these days.

>
> Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of news
> reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks by
> black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in Maine, we
> have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi. I don't
> recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear here. I
> have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet from a
> mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any attempt to
> attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one occasion, the bear
> just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my flash.


Among the dozens and dozens of "bear awareness" websites, here is an
interesting one. I don't necessarily agree with her obsrevational
methods - howevre, when it comes to the observational and factual
information, this discussion seems to get it really close to "on the
nose." In short, it isn't necessary to freak over black bears, and
hungry bears do not equal more attacks on humans.

http://www.bearsmart.com/bearFacts/TruthAboutBears.html

Bruce Jensen
 
"Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:XkGHi.2194$yO2.866@trndny01...
>
> "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
>> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these
>> days.

>
> Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of
> news reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks
> by black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in
> Maine, we have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi.
> I don't recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear
> here. I have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet
> from a mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any
> attempt to attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one
> occasion, the bear just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my
> flash.
>


You and I are in complete agreement, the nature of black bears is that they
avoid human contact if they can.

My point is that in the west we have had years of drought and the food
supply is diminished, causing the bears to be more agressive than they would
otherwise be. Mike is suggesting that the cause of the agression is the
mountain bike, I am suggtesting that the bike rider simply ended up in the
wrong place at the wrong time, and found a hungry bear that was also
defending her cubs.

The drought in the west is not an assumption, by the way.
 
On Sep 18, 8:36 am, "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:XkGHi.2194$yO2.866@trndny01...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
> >> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these
> >> days.

>
> > Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of
> > news reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks
> > by black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in
> > Maine, we have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi.
> > I don't recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear
> > here. I have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet
> > from a mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any
> > attempt to attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one
> > occasion, the bear just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my
> > flash.

>
> You and I are in complete agreement, the nature of black bears is that they
> avoid human contact if they can.
>
> My point is that in the west we have had years of drought and the food
> supply is diminished, causing the bears to be more agressive than they would
> otherwise be. Mike is suggesting that the cause of the agression is the
> mountain bike, I am suggtesting that the bike rider simply ended up in the
> wrong place at the wrong time, and found a hungry bear that was also
> defending her cubs.


I think you're on the right track, but I am doubtful that the cubs
play into it (it isn't at all obvious that the attacking bear even had
cubs, despite the reported presence of a momma bear with cubs in the
area) - I think the dogs probably got the bear more riled up than
anything, and the biker wound up in the midst of it, an easy target
for the angry, panicky bruin.

Either way, I think it pays to exercise caution in bear country. This
guy had loose dogs and was zipping along on a bike where visibility
apparently was not excellent. It doesn't sound really smart, or
really careful, to me. His actions were at best a gamble, and on this
spin, he lost the bet.

Bruce Jensen
 
On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:36:17 GMT, "Jeff Strickland"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:XkGHi.2194$yO2.866@trndny01...
>>
>> "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
>>> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these
>>> days.

>>
>> Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of
>> news reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks
>> by black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in
>> Maine, we have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi.
>> I don't recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear
>> here. I have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet
>> from a mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any
>> attempt to attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one
>> occasion, the bear just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my
>> flash.
>>

>
>You and I are in complete agreement, the nature of black bears is that they
>avoid human contact if they can.
>
>My point is that in the west we have had years of drought and the food
>supply is diminished, causing the bears to be more agressive than they would
>otherwise be. Mike is suggesting that the cause of the agression is the
>mountain bike, I am suggtesting that the bike rider simply ended up in the
>wrong place at the wrong time,


Yes! The only right place for a mountain biker is on pavement.

and found a hungry bear that was also
>defending her cubs.
>
>The drought in the west is not an assumption, by the way.
>

--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
 
On Sep 18, 8:13 am, Puppet_Sock <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sep 17, 11:40 am, y_p_w <[email protected]> wrote:
> [snip]
>
> > The people killed by black bears are aberrations.

>
> I think you mean to say that the killing of people
> by black bears is an aberration, not that the people
> are...


Perhaps a little of both. One would be the aberration where people
are recklessly careless/clueless, and the other would be a bear that
would engage in a predatory attack against a person.

> Oh. You were talking about Mickey.


That too. ;-)
 
In article <4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06>,
"Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote:

> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these days.
> It seems the bears are responding to a shortage in the food chain that has
> resulted from several years of drought in the western states.
>
>
>


As it turns out, you have no idea of which you speak.......
 
In article <RfSHi.4216$Bm1.2351@trnddc01>,
"Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Ryan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:XkGHi.2194$yO2.866@trndny01...
> >
> > "Jeff Strickland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:4NBHi.2751$io2.196@trnddc06...
> >> AS IT TURNS OUT, black bears are attacking all sorts of people these
> >> days.

> >
> > Really? And I take it that you're basing this assumption on a couple of
> > news reports which, by definition, report things that are unusual. Attacks
> > by black bears are rare. Fatal attacks are even rarer still. Here in
> > Maine, we have the largest black bear population east of the Mississippi.
> > I don't recall ever hearing of even so much as an attack by a black bear
> > here. I have had four black bear encounters since June, one only 25 feet
> > from a mother bear and her cub. And every time the bear didn't make any
> > attempt to attack. On three occasions, the bears took off. On one
> > occasion, the bear just kept eating nuts, not minding the discharge of my
> > flash.
> >

>
> You and I are in complete agreement, the nature of black bears is that they
> avoid human contact if they can.
>
> My point is that in the west we have had years of drought and the food
> supply is diminished, causing the bears to be more agressive than they would
> otherwise be. Mike is suggesting that the cause of the agression is the
> mountain bike, I am suggtesting that the bike rider simply ended up in the
> wrong place at the wrong time, and found a hungry bear that was also
> defending her cubs.
>
> The drought in the west is not an assumption, by the way.
>
>


Hey Dufus, this happened in Western Washington State, where there ISN'T
a drought, and hasn't been in a number of years. There is plenty of
Bear Chow available, this time of year. The Bike Riders DOGGIE,
precipitated the whole incident, by suprising The bear, in question.
There were NO cubs present during the attack. The only Statement about
Cubs, WAS, that a sow with cubs was seen in the vacinity, earlier, and
this "MAY" have been the same Bear. The actual attcking bear, was never
identified, or it's sex identified, during, or after, the incident.

At least get the FACTS straight, before you make your WildAssed
Assumptions, and presenting them as some sort of opinion, or fact......
 
Bruce in Alaska wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mike Vandeman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> It's a well-known fact that black bears don't attack humans, except to
>> defend their cubs. Do you think it was offended by the color of his
>> outfit?!

>
> Nope, the BEAR was Offended by the Riders TWO DOGS, that were running
> loose, out in front of him. The BEAR can't caught the DOGS, and the
> NEXT thing it encountered was the Rider, so it MUNCHed HIM... Nothing
> like encountering a ****** Off BEAR......
>
> Bruce in alaska


As a person who grew up in Alaska, I can say that black bears are
temperamental.

jimbat
 
Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>> Mike, your ignorance of wildlife and factless statements become irritating.

>
> True.
>
>> While black bear attacks on humans are rather rare, as a carnivore, they can
>> and do attack humans from time to time. The probability of an attack is
>> measured in the 1 to 400 million or more (given the number of recreational
>> visitor days a year in black bear country).

>
> I assume all of that is correct. I don't see it as
> significant, one way or another. If you are in bear
> country... *do* be concerned.


It isn't. But you don't have them where you live Floyd. And by 2020 or
so you won't have polar bears either.
>
>> The motivation for the attack
>> can range from protecting cubs (and yes I would suggest this is one of the
>> more common reasons),

>


Startling them.

> That is common _only_ for brown bears.


No.
>
>> to being startled or surprised by human (usually
>> hikers on a trail) appearing in their path,

>
> Again, _only_ for brown bears.
>


No.
>> to viewing humans as a
>> competitor (i.e., protecting a food source)

>
> Brown bears!
>
> Black bears aren't anything like brown bears.
>


Very true, although some 'black bears' are brown.


[...]


jimbat
 
Jim Roberts <[email protected]> wrote:
>Floyd L. Davidson wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>> Mike, your ignorance of wildlife and factless statements become irritating.

>> True.
>>
>>> While black bear attacks on humans are rather rare, as a carnivore, they can
>>> and do attack humans from time to time. The probability of an attack is
>>> measured in the 1 to 400 million or more (given the number of recreational
>>> visitor days a year in black bear country).

>>
>> I assume all of that is correct. I don't see it as
>> significant, one way or another. If you are in bear
>> country... *do* be concerned.

>
>It isn't. But you don't have them where you live Floyd.


Guess what Dingbat, I grew up 1 mile from where that
particular bear attack happened.

As is common with you, you just stepped into another
pile of stink.

>And by 2020 or so you won't have polar bears either.


You didn't read something right. Why are you always
just a little... off. Nobody is saying polar bears will
be gone by 2020.

>>> The motivation for the attack
>>> can range from protecting cubs (and yes I would suggest this is one of the
>>> more common reasons),

>>

>
>Startling them.


That is almost as rare as protecting cubs as a
motivation for an attack (of which there are exactly
ZERO known cases). You need to get is straight, black
bears are not like brown bears.

>> That is common _only_ for brown bears.

>
>No.


Wanna bet. Try finding *anything* which supports your
line of ********.

>>> to being startled or surprised by human (usually
>>> hikers on a trail) appearing in their path,

>> Again, _only_ for brown bears.
>>

>
>No.
>>> to viewing humans as a
>>> competitor (i.e., protecting a food source)

>> Brown bears!
>> Black bears aren't anything like brown bears.
>>

>
>Very true, although some 'black bears' are brown.


And jimbat is a Dingbat.

Are you on the sauce again, that's usually why you
post to Usenet.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) [email protected]
 

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