[Ckzona]

I don't understand now that when ever anyone reports a bear or mountain lion sighting in the mountains fish and game closes off the area and trys to kill it. Why would they do that? Sooner or later we are going to have no more of those creatures.

[joe bartels]

Isn't it generally after they've attacked someone? Does it matter?

At any rate, good point. Unfortunately we're in the "later" stage at this point in history.

[Ckzona]

Sometimes Im sure it is but when i was camping by Union Mountain in the Bradshaws some group of guys were camped near me and they saw a black bear near their camp and they told fish and game and they went out with guns and all. Also the same thing happened with my friend near Humphrey's Peak.

[big_load]

We have five bears per square mile in my county. The population has doubled in about four years and is up tenfold or more in the last 20. We won't run out any time soon. Around here they only euthanize bears who have gotten into the most serious trouble, such as breaking into houses.

[te-wa]

...such as breaking into houses.

well you NE'ders quit leaving delicious hot apple pies on the window sill, you wont have a problem!

...out with guns and all

too bad if that is the FS policy. we've come way to far to ignore the fact that we are a part of nature, not here to "conquer" it. But, alas you still see everyone using the phrase "the environment" instead of "our environment". Can you see the power of that one single word? Makes a huge difference, doesnt it?

[azbackpackr]

Hey Big Load, looking at map of NJ, can't find your town. Which county do you live in? That is just amazing, 5 bears per square mile! Who would have thought.....?

[joe bartels]

http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?L ... N=-74.7424

[te-wa]

dude, if I lived there i would so have a kayak... and a garden

[rushthezeppelin]

http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?LAT=40.9863&LON=-74.7424

Why are some of the ponds there bigger than "lakes"?????

[nonot]

A lake in Arizona terms is a drainage ditch in most other states.

[Ckzona]

Yeh Big load that is New Jersey. Not arizona

[fairweather8588]

Yeh Big load that is New Jersey. Not arizona

Well done!

[chumley]

I've never heard of AZGFD killing bears or mountain lions except if they had previously attacked people or pets. I believe their policy is to relocate the animals away from population centers whenever possible. (And I've read news stories along those lines.)

[mapit]

The thing is if you are back country and see bear or Mountain lion just do not go yelling about it,AZ Game and fish will frequently kill bear or lions because of the public knowing ,it is back to folks live in fear and may get lawyers involved.Also there is a money reason for not relocating bear aside from the limited spaces to transport them.

Also to Mr NJ bears recovery in numbers in many eastern states is testament to natures adapting.
I worked in Md for a few years up near Camp David and I know that bear were around as were transient Mnt Lion .Its wonderful to know they are around.

[ssk44]

I've never heard of AZGFD killing bears or mountain lions except if they had previously attacked people or pets. I believe their policy is to relocate the animals away from population centers whenever possible. (And I've read news stories along those lines.)

The Arizona Game & Fish have never in the history of the state had a policy of killing bears and mountain lions just because someone reported seeing one. This is nothing more than a grossly exaggerated myth. People report bears that are near campgrounds because any bear that is hanging around an area like that is likely a "problem" bear that has been eating out of trash cans or worse yet, having been fed by foolish people that zero concept of what they are doing. A fed bear is a dead bear. When bears get used to being around people they can become extremely dangerous. Camp out in a more popular area of the Black River some time if you don't believe me. Any time someone notifies the AZ G&F about a bear hanging around a camp ground they will typically put out a cage with bait to trap the animal so they can relocated it to a remote area. If they are carrying guns while doing this it only for self defense. They will also use tranquilizer guns. This is all for the purpose of relocating the bear to protect the public. This same principal applies to mountain lions that hang around to close to town within the city limits.

[nonot]

I think some states have adopted the 3 strikes and you're out policy, if they find a bear in a populated area, they will relocate it twice. If they encounter the bear a third time, they kill it. People who feed bears...ultimately kill bears.

[big_load]

dude, if I lived there i would so have a kayak... and a garden

The deer make gardening pretty much impossible, but we keep a canoe down at the lake. The water is a little crusty today, though. When we started hiking on the AT this morning, the temperature was 8F.

[big_load]

http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?LAT=40.9863&LON=-74.7424

This should be right on the money.

http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?L ... N=-74.7228

[te-wa]

The deer make gardening pretty much impossible

what?? in the Garden state??

[Ckzona]

Yeh a fed bear is a dead bear. I was told of people trying to feed bears. I later found out that they tried to feed them and then the bear got close so they called game and fish and told them it had attacked them. The waitress at the Crown King restaraunt told me and she got pretty pissed off about it.