It's bear season...

[Fishooked]

...around here that's for sure.


Five minutes after my wife called and said a huge bear was lying in the street (in a pile of someone's garbage), I go outside for a smoke, and see this guy -

[John Neves]

Whoa!

That's a ... erm... bear!

Did he eventually run away or did you call someone about it? Is it a common sight?

[muskiehunter]

Its a good thing that bear is in New Jersey because if it was doing that up here I guarantee somebody would have sniped him

[zeroroaster]

hahaha!! Right on Muskie!

Same here, we take NO chances. In fact, the fish and wildlife guys drove through here last weekend with not one but TWO loaded bear traps....those are problem bears being moved from the Parks or other more populated areas and being dropped off here. Why here? Well, if the bear continues to be a problem, it will be 'dispatched' in a hurry. We're only 575 people in this town and the surrounding population is sparse. Lower fatality risk...although even one is too many. Mind you, even the school here teaches bear safety as part of the curriculum...that's when you KNOW you're in bear country!

This year has been really bad...the berry crop was about a month late, and the days are already getting shorter so the bears are particularly stressed this year. They're hungry, and getting sleepy. They're not being particular about what they eat.

Apparently the bowhunters aren't having much fun out there...They're pretty much living in the tree stands...you can't chance walking around on the forest floor.

Ted, neat pics!