Bears at Marcy Dam - Is the worst over?

[oldfogie]

This is the fattening up time for black bears. I was wondering if the mandatory bear-canister rule in the Dacks has had any effect on the frequency of bear visits to campsites there.

I know in the past, the odds were 100%. And hanging food from trees, cables, etc. had little effect in deterring their visits.

 

[Doc McPeak]

According to Rangers, there is a marked decrease in bears around the problem areas in the High Peaks ... however, this year has also produced one of the largest bumper crops of natural bear food in recent memory. Hopefully the two combine to re-educate the bears. One bear was shot this summer who had become a menace through the years of easy pickings. He became bad news due to not getting his fill and began resorting to aggressive stunts to get food from hikers. But so far, the Rangers give the mandate stellar marks. And compliance from the camping community was exemplary, too, so everyone who did their part to help the problem deserves a round of applause as well.

 

[Chip]

In early August the "worst offender" 'Red-Green' was killed.

However;

"In the here and now, we're witnessing a very good year for bear-human relations. Encounters are way down this year. For the moment at least, only one smallish female bear labeled Yellow-Yellow, purportedly with a couple of cubs, is a sometimes visitor to High Peaks campgrounds. But with 5,000 candidates sniffing at the gravy train, that is small comfort."

 

[lumberzac]

I think it’s still too early to tell if the regulation is working the way expected or not. Remember it took years for the bears to get the way they where, it will probably take years to completely deprogram them.

 

[Grumpy]

I think it’s still too early to tell if the regulation is working the way expected or not. Remember it took years for the bears to get the way they where, it will probably take years to completely deprogram them.

Could be so. But there's nothing amiss with applauding good news when it comes. If reported bear incidents are down in numbers, they are down in numbers. That's a positive thing even if it is the result of many coincidental circumstances. We do like to think progress is being made -- it provides positive incentive to keep doing what works (and evidently the bear canisters do work).

G.

 

[Oldsmores]

...(and evidently the bear canisters do work).

G.

Whether they "re-program" bears or not, they certainly keep you from having to cut short a perfectly good outing because the bears got your food. That's good enough for me!