Bear Attack

Black Bear Attack.

If you have an encounter with a black bear, your best course of action depends on how the bear is acting.  It is a misconception that black bears attack only because you are in their territory, you are a threat and/or the sow is protecting their cub.  The most serious and fatal attacks is brought on by food stress and the male black bear sees you as prey.  A hungry male bear is more likely to kill you than a sow protecting her cub.  

Situation 1.  If the bear growls, paws at the ground, chop his teeth, makes short runs toward you then stops and appear to be aggressive,  you are in luck. He sees you as a threat and wants you to go away.  If you slowly back away he knows you got the hint and most likely you will never see him again.  Have your bear spray ready but do not make threatening motions to a bear that is acting aggressively.  Just back away and chances are you will be ok.  

Situation 2.  If the bear is being quite, calm and is approaching you, this is worse then if he is acting aggressively.  He is not scared of you and is stocking you because he is considering you pray. Over 90 percent of this type of bear attack is done by a big male and ends up being deadly if you do not deter him from attacking.  With this type of bear encounter, it is time to make noise, scream at him, show acts of aggression and deter him from thinking you are an easy pray.  Use sticks, rocks, noise makers and better yet, if the bear is close enough, it is time to use bear spray. With this type of attack, bear spray or a gun is your best defence. 

 It was said before, “If a bear attacks, lay down. He will leave as soon as you are no longer a threat”.  Well if you are food it doesn’t work like that.  As for me I think I would at least try to fight. A big strong surveyor in my home town got attacked and tried to fight and remembers being hit so hard he went flying and doesn’t remember anything after that until he was at the hospital.  He crawled out of the woods approximately a mile and was picked up on the side of the road all scratched and beat up.  It was assumed that once the bear deemed him no longer a threat, it left him alone. The bear did not see him as pray so did not eat the surveyor but  I hear that he has some very big claw marks scares on his back.  

Because of the extensive time I spend in the woods, I have seen over 5 bears including the one I hit on a 3 wheeler. My most dangerous bear encounter comes to mind.  I was salmon fishing in the Nor-West Miramcihi when a bear crossed the river less than 300 meters upriver.  I just waited for about 5 minutes and thought he would be long gone so I started working my way up river to fish the pool.  After fishing my way up river 100 meters, I looked up and seen the big black bear had silently works it’s way down river towards me and was now less then 100 meters away standing on the bank. He was on his back legs peaking over the thicket looking down at me in a curious way.  Maybe he was just curious, maybe not.  He disappeared behind the thicket as he went back on 4 legs.  I heard him work his way farther downstream on the path and I screamed to my buddy Denis that a bear was coming down the path.  Maybe it was this scream that deterred him but I never seen him again. Trust me…. I didn’t miss not seeing him again.  

The best two ways to avoid coming in contact with black bears is make lots of noise as you travel through bear county and don’t camp beside your food.  A noise maker, like wearing a bell is a good choice.  Also If you are camping hang your food in trees away from your camp area. These methods usually keep you from coming in close contact with bears. I carry bear spray just in case. 

Here are some other facts about bears:

• Bears that kill before are much more prone to kill again. 
• There is around 800,000 black bear in North America.  A bear is not a violent creature or there would be more attacks.  Many, many unreported encounters resulted in the bear running away.  I am just glad that Donald Trump is not a bear. 
• Around 70 percent of fatal attacks the victims were alone with no bear spray.  Less than 10 percent of the fatal attacks occurred if there were three or more people present.  I suppose you could be selfish and think I cannot outrun a bear but I can outrun my buddies. Well if you stay together, you are way less prone to attack.  

I hope this helps you play safe.  

Here is a link to a guy that had a narrow escape with a bear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWHNIbS8cE

P.S. Kinda wish I didn’t write this today.  I have to go timber cursing tomorrow and all this bear talk is giving me the willies.

Hooter The Owl

Hooter the Owl

It was March 13,2013 when I was talking to Chad on the phone.  He said, he seen some tuffs of hair sticking above the snow.  He first thought it was bob cat in his driveway but a second look determined it was Great Horned Owl that didn't seem to be able to fly.  I jumped in the truck and headed to Chad's.  Trying to catch the beautiful bird was a challenge because we were worried about our fingers and he could run on the deep snow faster then we could.

Knowing he would need some professional help if he was to survive, we called the animal rescue in Sackville, N.B.  Before the staff member got there, Chad and I had already named him Hooter and we were already attached to the magnificent animal. After the staff member from animal rescue arrived,  the three of us were able to get him cornered and Chad with heavy gloves, managed to get hold of him.  We pet him and tried to keep him calm; he did not trying to bite us or struggle away. The animal rescue put him in a box and took him to the animal shelter.

Over the next day or two we kept calling checking on him.  It didn't take animal rescue long to determine he was malnutrition and started him on I.V.

A couple of days past and our attempt to save the beautiful creature was ill-fated.  Hooter passed away!  Yes it was ashamed. The spraying of the forest and reduced habitat is not helping matters, but but it happens all the time in nature and the hard winter challenged the survival off many animals.  R.I.P Hooter for your struggles are now over!

Moose On The Loose

Many believe a cow moose with a calf is one of the dangerous animals in my neck of the woods.  I am not sure about that but is sure scared me.  I got out of the truck to get some close up pictures and walked within 50 meters of her.  She got between me and the calf and put her ears back.  I knew it was time for me to leave so I turn towards the truck.  She started towards me as I scrambled up the bank and to the truck.  My wife got scared and closed the door of the truck.  Didn't take me long to reopen it and get inside.  I asked my wife was she trying to collect insurance money when she closed the door?lol  Ya I survived another one.

The calf was nice shape but the cow seemed very week. I believe she was old or was sick because she did not look very good.  Local people said they seen the calf a few weeks later but did not see the mother.  Most of the guys believe nature took it course and the cow died but left a legacy of a beautiful bouncing baby calf.  

Salmon

When the leaves fall from the trees in fall, the salmon settle into their winter home on the upper reaches of the salmon rivers. They spawn and house themselves under the shield of the winter’s ice. In spring the adults head down river to the ocean and feed for the summer. Some make their way to the coast of Green Land then back to the very spot where they were hatched. On the way down the river these fish are easier to catch because they are hungry and feeding at every opportunity. They are referred to as black salmon or slinks, etc... because they are dark in color due to water staining and skinny because of the lack of winter food supply and their spawning ritual. These black salmon heading down river do not fight as good as a salmon that just returned from the sea because the black salmon are worn out. If you decide to fish these worn out salmon I highly recommend you try to capture the salmon quickly, take a picture and release it back in its realm as quickly as possible. A speedy capture and speedy release helps ensure the fish’s survival; they are already in a week state so a lengthy fight on the end of a line will surely be it's death. A quick capture and release gives it a chance to survive and maybe next year you will catch it again after it gains 15 pounds.

Deer Ville

Spending time deep in the woods has its benefits in getting great nature pictures. This one was easy because the fawn was running along the highway near Sussex, N.B. I slowly drove beside him for 500 meters before he got discouraged from crossing the busy highway. Perhaps his plan was to reunite with his mother who may have been on the other side of the road.