In regards to Bear encounter on mt. Cabot

[natron]

in Ed's trail report, http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46250-Bear-encounter-on-mt-Cabot commenting isn't an option.. so I'll do it here.. has anybody else encountered this bear or other bears around unknown pond? a couple of weeks ago I spent a night at the unknown pond campsite, here's my tr http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46099-breaking-in-my-new-boots-(8-20-8-21-12) I didn't go into to many details about that trip.. So, I had an interesting encounter with a bear, didn't want to scare people away from this pretty area and was hoping it was flukish but with Ed's report it sounds like this bear or bears are very comfortable.. anyways it was 8p., it was dark for 20 min or so, I was eating some snacks, prior to hanging my food bag, I was eating at the main upper spot by campsite #2, I was sitting on a birch log, nobody else was camping.. I heard 2 grunts/snorts, I froze for a few seconds.. I got to my whistle blew it loud once and then grabbed my pepper spray and knife (lightweight protection is better than no protection) and stood still, no more grunts/snorts.. I figured the bear could've been 10-20 ft. away.. I hung my food up high in a birch tree.. Sleeping was tough that night, in the morning to my partial surprise my bag was still up in the tree, but there were some fresh bear claw/scratch marks on the tree about 6-7ft up just a few feet lower than my food bag in the tree, got my food bag down and left.. anyways maybe a bear box like some of the other backcountry sites would be a good idea for unknown pond. Looks like this bear or other bear/bears in this area have been rewarded @ unknown pond campsite..

btw- nice job Lauky, telling that bear about the no bears on the hiking trail policy!

 

[DougPaul]

btw- nice job Lauky, telling that bear about the no bears on the hiking trail policy!

Had the bear been a mother with cubs, a dog can cause a defensive attack.

Doug

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Had the bear been a mother with cubs, a dog can cause a defensive attack.

Doug

True, it could. My Airedale Duffy some years ago caused a mama moose to charge us because he got too close to the calf, but it also depends on the positioning of the antagonists.

Last year going up Star King Lauky stirred up a bear cub that was right beside the trail (which I didn't see until it started running) and sent it scurrying up the hill to our right. Lauky of course wanted to go after it, but again the leash saved the day and I made him continue on --rapidly-- straight ahead. I believe because we were heading one way and the cub another, the mama chose to stay with her cub.

 

[GBKDalton]

Not at Unknown Pond but just north-my friend and I started a Cohos Trail hike in July. I had to get off the trail early. We actually left our food cache in this guy's garage in Stark right on the road b/t Nash Stream and South Pond. We had debated hanging the food in the woods before we met this guy and had even found a good tree for it. When I had to get off the trail, my friend jumped a section, picked up his food and went up for a night on the Percys. He said he just about ran into a black bear right underneath the tree we had though we might use as a caching spot. So bears are difinitely active in that whole area! Make sure you take care with your food!

 

[LivesToHike]

Sorry to say, but haven't been up in the Cabot area in years. It is uncomfortable trying to sleep when you know a bear is around.

We encountered a rather largish bear at some distance from the trail, while we were walking down the Bridle Path off Franconia Ridge late on a June afternoon this year. We were very wary at first, not knowing if it was a solitary male or sow w/ cubs. It was likely a male, and it was headed in a different direction from ours, and didn't pay us any mind.

Btw, we have bears now even just North of the Nashua line in our town. In fact, there's been one in my neighbor's yard twice this past summer. I no longer keep our bird feeder or grill out. There are mama and baby bears around too, so there's bound to be more big ones eventually, even here.

I would agree, about a need for bear boxes. They're quite common in areas of the National Parks out West. That said, the funding is often an issue. In Yosemite's Tuolumne area 3 years ago, the newer, more secure boxes appeared to be at least partially privately funded.