Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board So Doug, Was The Bear Killed Or Not?

Doug, my other post got way off the subject, but you stated the shot bear was "up and walking around." Another writer asked you what really happened, but no answer.

The lady at the ranger station doing permits said a bear was shot and killed. A male ranger nearby was hearing our conversation and did not dispute what she was saying. So, dead or alive?

If shot, it would be a good idea to post a large picture of the dead bear at the Trailhead showing the ramifications of ignoring food in cars and left laying around. One picture=1000's of words and signs by rangers. From all the broken glass in the Overflow lot, people just aren't getting it.

There was a cub in a tree at the Hiker's Parking spaces 5 years ago. I always wondered if that cub would learn to actually hunt or learn from Momma that food comes to them without effort and food sources are cars and hikers. I wonder if the bear shot was that cub.

Sherry, my interpretation of Doug's comment was that another bear immediately took it's place, and the problem of bears was not solved by the execution.

Whatever the case, although bear populations are actually quite large and healthy, and they are in no danger as a population, it is quite sad to hear about another bear being shot.

There is a fellow who devotes his life to education about Black Bears, Dr. Lynn Rogers, who was the top bear biologist for the USFS until his retirement. He spends his time in bear research, and has found some amazing things. Check out this site, particularly his slide shows, and "How dangerous are black bears: Can we coexist?". Some truly revolutionary information.

http://www.bear.org/Black/Black_Bear_Mini_Course.html



Photo caption:
Dr Lynn Rogers stays with his research subjects for 24 hours at a time, entering code letters into his field computer to record behavior, habitat use, and the number of bites taken of each food. He moves with them as they forage, and rests with them when they sleep. The backpack contains a sleeping bag but no food that could distract the bears from natural foraging.
Photo: April 14,1990. Minnesota. By Bob Cary.
=======================

Causes of Death: Bears 2 years old or older
outside national parks: 95 percent gunshot;
5 percent natural causes, road kills, and other
human-related causes. Average age
of death from human-related causes: 6
years (northeastern Minnesota). Cubs and
yearlings: starvation, predation, falls from
trees, road-kills, etc. Few bears die of
disease.

Aren't we overlooking the obvious possibility? This subject was once covered in a full-length documentary film. Here's a 30 second version that summarizes the essential info. click here

Ken:

Doug said "... the ONE that was shot is back up and walking around I see it every night hitting the trash left out side the trash cans ..." [emphasis added]. Where in that statement is the implication that it was replaced by another?

Dave, you have to know Doug, and understand what a poetic, allegorical person he is, along with his great sense of humor. He likes to have fun, and say things in a fun way.

Hi I don't recall the campground being closed, a large group of people with guns walking around or drag marks, with blood streaks taking the dead bear to the truck to be checked for disease body parts etc. and talking with the local warden and his supervisor,The best we can come up with is WE HAVE FOUR VERY ACTIVE BEARS IN THE AREA and one is very large , able to warp the trash can open and remove the trash, the group of bears are mom and cub that are still easy to move around, a long legged very black coated youth that is not that afraid of people, and the very large older bear that has no pattern we see, will at times just look at people then lay down a sleep,acts like it may be hard of hearing but other times very alert to sound ,travels around from Lone Pine campground to the Portal and may also be in the Alabama Hills hitting the orchards.


Trash cleanup and removal has increased and rangers are patroling the area and talking with all campers, cars are being checked for food storage and trash. also new food storage boxes are at the trailhead but are full most of the time.As the food and trash problems are under control car break-ins will start shortly , pattern we see every year, we have several weeks before the bears start stocking up and would expect to start seeing more bear movement in the day.

THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON NOT THE PAST BUT WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO SHORTLY TO HALT THE SHOOTING OF A BEAR. Thanks Doug

Hi Thanks Oregon(red pick up with Oregon tags) Bear broke into the back last night took out pack, food items and will return. this now takes the main load of a food supply away from the campground and the trash cans as the bears will now start hitting cars. Oh! did I say that yesterday? sometimes I forget. Thanks Doug

I think I saw a grizzly bear Saturday night.

If you did that would be national news as there aren't any Grizzlies left in Calif:

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Bear

[quote]
The California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus) disappeared from the state of California in 1922 when the last one was shot in Tulare County, but it is still on the state flag of California.
[endquote]

I'll be there in a couple of weeks - doing the MR.

Ellen

Oh, just ignore Giggles, Ellen. He's just trying to cause TROUBLE !!!!

Maybe its mistaken identity since many black bears are cinammon colored or have light coloring. From what I have read there are many different sub-species of the black bear and from photos I've seen. Not all have that dopey looking face that they are know for. Some seem to have a face that resembles a grizzlies face. I have heard of hunters also making this mistake.

Rafael...

Bear identification is very easy. I was taught this method by a ranger in Yosemite in the early '70s.

Kick the bear in the ass and climb up high in a tree. If the bear follows you up, it is a brown bear. If it rips the tree out of the ground by the roots, it is most definitely a grizzly.

See y’all in September! Hopefully all y’all on top!

Walt C. in Nashville, TN.

Bear I.D. is easy,,,, Grizzlies have a dished in forehead and a hump behind their neck......AND their scat smells like pepper and has bits of jingle bells in it.