>
> Is the the bear problem in CO really as bad as what's been portrayed
> on the national nooze...???
>
>



Yes, particularly at this time of year when they are looking for food to
fatten before hibernating. This summer has been very wet and cooler
than usual so there are fewer berries, seeds, and other preferred food
than usual and the bears are hungry.

In the mountains the foothills? Yes. A bear walked into a shop in
downtown Aspen, walked around, climbed into the window ledge, then left
the shop because it found nothing to eat. A woman was killed as she fed
some bears (which she and her late husband had done for many years.)
Bears have been seen high in trees in Denver's western suburbs near the
foothills. They sometimes walk away, other times break into nearby
houses through patio doors.

They have ransacked refrigerators in homes and vacation cabins. They
learn quickly where the food is.

When bears break into a house, car or dumpster they are tagged and
relocated. If they are seen close to homes again, they can be shot
because they have lost the fear of humans and are potential killers.
I'm not advocating the practice, just reporting it.

Most mountain towns require "bear-proof" trash cans (I'm not sure any
really work 100%) and ban feeding wildlife, even bird feeders with seed
or hummingbird nectar because all have been found to attract bears.

Elk have been a problem, too, at this time of year when they are "in
rut" (breeding). They have attacked a few people in their own driveways
in the foothills recently. One woman was gored fairly seriously.
Of course people flock to Estes Park to get close to the herds and hear
the distinctive "bugling" the males make to attract a mate, and they
get way too close to photograph prize specimens.

Coyotes have been seen in twos and threes on the bike/hiking path in the
Denver Tech Center. Mountain lions (puma) have walked away from homes
in the foothills carrying a pet dog or cat.

Many of these wild animals are more of a problem because there has
been so much development encroaching into their traditional home territory.

gloria p

Gloria P wrote:

> > Is the the bear problem in CO really as bad as what's been
> portrayed > on the national nooze...???
> >
> >
>
>
>
> Yes, particularly at this time of year when they are looking for food
> to fatten before hibernating. This summer has been very wet and
> cooler
> than usual so there are fewer berries, seeds, and other preferred food
> than usual and the bears are hungry.
>
> In the mountains the foothills? Yes. A bear walked into a shop in
> downtown Aspen, walked around, climbed into the window ledge, then
> left the shop because it found nothing to eat. A woman was killed as
> she fed some bears (which she and her late husband had done for many
> years.)
> Bears have been seen high in trees in Denver's western suburbs near
> the foothills. They sometimes walk away, other times break into nearby
> houses through patio doors.
>
> They have ransacked refrigerators in homes and vacation cabins. They
> learn quickly where the food is.
>
> When bears break into a house, car or dumpster they are tagged and
> relocated. If they are seen close to homes again, they can be shot
> because they have lost the fear of humans and are potential killers.
> I'm not advocating the practice, just reporting it.
>
> Most mountain towns require "bear-proof" trash cans (I'm not sure any
> really work 100%) and ban feeding wildlife, even bird feeders with
> seed
> or hummingbird nectar because all have been found to attract bears.
>
> Elk have been a problem, too, at this time of year when they are "in
> rut" (breeding). They have attacked a few people in their own
> driveways in the foothills recently. One woman was gored fairly
> seriously.
> Of course people flock to Estes Park to get close to the herds and
> hear the distinctive "bugling" the males make to attract a mate, and
> they
> get way too close to photograph prize specimens.
>
> Coyotes have been seen in twos and threes on the bike/hiking path in
> the Denver Tech Center. Mountain lions (puma) have walked away from
> homes
> in the foothills carrying a pet dog or cat.
>
> Many of these wild animals are more of a problem because there has
> been so much development encroaching into their traditional home
> territory.


The ocassional coyote wanders into Chicago, they can be seen near the
lakefront...a few years back one even wandered into a sandwich shop in the
Loop. Animals can travel into the metro area via the north and south
branches of the Chicago River, etc...

Near where I grew up in west - central Illinois bobcats have been sighted,
they were supposedly "gone" in that area by the 1880's or so...


--
Best
Greg

On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:40:29 -0600, Gloria P > wrote:


-->Many of these wild animals are more of a problem because there has
-->been so much development encroaching into their traditional home territory.
-->
-->gloria p


True, my son hit a 200 lb. buck Sunday night, wrecked his car but thankfully
he wasn't seriously hurt (few cuts and a sore neck).
They're all over in the west of the city where there's a forest. Many of the
deer are walking out on to main streets causing accidents, and getting a great
number of the deer killed in the process. Seems they're going to downsize the
herds and give the meat to the food banks.