Believe It Or Not: A Different Set of Bear Triplets (30 Ap 05)

[Waumbek]

On 27 April, I saw and posted pics of a mother bear and triplets, yearlings, on the road about a 1/4 mile from the house. Tonight at dusk a different mother and triplets wandered across the back field of the house. These triplets are cubs. They are much smaller than the bears I saw Wednesday. Compare the two sets of pics and you can see the difference. The behavior of the two sets was decidedly different too. The cubs tonight stayed much closer to the mother than the yearlings I saw on Wednesday. I had only a few opportunities tonight to get a picture of them separated from the mother before they all sprinted off into the woods. This group looks very healthy too. That makes 8 bears in 4 days, and two sets of trips. I haven't even had time to think about that 10x lens yet either.

 

[audrey]

How wonderful! I wish them good health and long life, in spite of mankind.

 

[Artex]

Lucky!

That's great you've had so many sightings. I'm jealous.

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks, again

 

[sapblatt]

Very cool! How close were you?
Are triplets unusual for bears?

 

[Waumbek]

Very cool! How close were you?
Are triplets unusual for bears?

I stayed in the house to watch this group in my back field. I'm never good at distance estimates, but I'd say 50 yards. Black bears have from 1-5 cubs. Twins and triplets are the norm. Over the last five or so years, though, the norm here has been one cub, judging by what I've seen. I guess it depends on how many survive. I can't ever remember seeing two sets of triplets in a four-day span. Survival rates must be up.

 

[Gris]

IMO you'd be doing them a favor (extending their lifespan) if ya scared em as far away from 116 as possible.

 

[Waumbek]

Sorry, gris, it doesn't work that way. Unless you're willing to shoot, which I am not, there's virtually nothing that scares a really hungry bear, which is what they are right now. Waving your arms, screaming, banging pots and pans, and such eventually just immunizes them to your presence even if it works the first or second or third time. Sooner or later they figure out that you're no threat. The best thing to do is to try to avoid contact with cubs altogether, as in staying out of sight inside the house or car.

 

[HAMTERO]

keeping the bears wild

Since the bears seem to be doing so well (good) what do people think about going ahead and using canisters or hanging in the Whites to keep them wild? I think that might be better that waiting till an ADKs situation develops.

 

[Grumpy]

Since the bears seem to be doing so well (good) what do people think about going ahead and using canisters or hanging in the Whites to keep them wild? I think that might be better that waiting till an ADKs situation develops.

Outstanding suggestion!

G.

 

[Gris]

hey Waumie, i didnt mean to suggest i knew any specific way to shoo them away. just lammenting cause was heartbroken to see a cub nbailed by a car on 116 a few summers ago. traffic has increased tenfold on that rd last several years. some humans been messed up too. and i'm one of those crazy people that think animals have as much right as humans to inhabit the earth, ya know, that nutty type ... far as "hanging" in the Whites, that ain't the problem. the problem is overdevelopment pure and simple. the bears come down the mt. to get into garbage, compost piles, etc. it's just a sad fact of life. seems like there was a big real estate boom in Franconia kinda coincided w 9/11 ...

 

[Waumbek]

Since the bears seem to be doing so well (good) what do people think about going ahead and using canisters or hanging in the Whites to keep them wild? I think that might be better that waiting till an ADKs situation develops.

This is a subject I tend to get passionate about, so I just took ten deep breaths before posting, and I may have to come back and edit if the vasopressure didn't drop far enough.

Yes, absolutely, please hang or use canisters or whatever it takes. I've been "hanging" in the Whites for the last 15 years because I know how many bears there are here. The other thing that would help immensely on boards like this is to give out correct info. I can't tell you the number of times on these boards that I see threads start up on the subjects of whether or not there are any bears in the Whites. Understandably enough, people who only come here to hike occasionally chime in with their individual experience, which gets globalized as the truth: never saw one, don't worry, no problem, they're only down there in the valley where those sloppy locals don't clean up their garbage, etc. Leaving aside blame (which could land on the outtastate trophy house builders just as readily as on the locals), the fact is that bears are down here in the valleys in the Whites, and they're up there where you hike and camp too. Assume that they are everywhere and all concerned will be far better off.

Can we avoid the DAKs situtation? Yes, I think so. The only really bad encounter I've had with bears was in the DAKs. I coexist with them here all the time, and I think the situation is still manageable particularly if the hiking community acts responsibly. Unfortunately, the state of NH is not totally candid about the number of bears up here. Bad for the tourist business, scares 'em off. I've posted bear pics lately against my better judgment (attracts bear hunters) but have yet to divulge real locations (not that it really matters given high tech bear hunting techniques) to try to indicate how common they are here. They're a precious resource. What you can do to help is to learn how to hang food, use lockers where provided (e.g. Eliza Brook Shelter), or canisters. Amen. Over & out.

 

[HAMTERO]

all about coexisting

Hey
Sorry if I sounded stupid. I have been winter camping only but looking to do some stuff this summer. I see the bear tracks so I know they are there. I've seen the "no problem" reports too and want to keep it that way. I'll get a cannister and practice up on my hanging technique.

 

[Waumbek]

Hey
Sorry if I sounded stupid..

Not at all. What you said sounded very smart to me. It made me realize that we are on the "tipping point" here in the Whites, and if we want to avoid the ADKs Marcy Dam scene, the word needs to get out now. I understand that state and federal authorities don't want to panic people with bear stories, which wouldn't be responsible behavior on their part, but neither, I think, is the current low level of info, so there's got to be a balance in there somewhere. In any event, thanks. Another good cause to fight for....

 

[Barry Sr]

Sorry, gris, it doesn't work that way. Unless you're willing to shoot, which I am not, there's virtually nothing that scares a really hungry bear, which is what they are right now. Waving your arms, screaming, banging pots and pans, and such eventually just immunizes them to your presence even if it works the first or second or third time. Sooner or later they figure out that you're no threat. The best thing to do is to try to avoid contact with cubs altogether, as in staying out of sight inside the house or car.

Check out this site, I have a pair of Beardogs I'll bring if ya want to scare'em off or away to safer lands.

Bear Sheparding

 

[Waumbek]

Thanks, Barry. I never heard of this before. I wish USFS and NH F&G would try it for trouble spots. They bait, trap, relocate and inevitably the bear comes back, get branded as rogue and destroyed. The "10 Commandments" for dog owners in the link pull down are worth reading if nothing else.

 

[McRat]

Inspirational photos Waumbek.

I ordered a BearVault 250. Why wait until there is a big problem?

 

[Gris]

Yeah, actually, my buddy in Easton was strongly considering a dog last summer, but then before he knew it winter appeared...

 

[Bob]

Very nice pics!!

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Thanks for sharing the pics. I'm sitting here with my 20-month old son and he is absolutely loving them. We watched Brother Bear just last night so bears are his newest craze.