[pct-l] WAS: Bearvault - NOW: Bear Behavior

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (dsaufley@sprynet.com)]

They shoot the bears instead of relocating them.  Relocation only relocates the problem, and doesn't solve it, and other agency jurisdictions are very appreciative of receiving some other jurisdiction's problem.  People-food habituated bears relocated far, far from humans will travel whatever distance necessary to get back to the easy pickins that humans provide.   There is no alternative but to destroy the "bad" bear.  

I learned this from the fish and game ranger who had to shoot a bear in my campsite at the Whitney Portal just before I arrived to set up camp.  This particular bear had become so brazen with people that it charged at a male camper.  

One thing I've learned with my horses is that once they learn a bad behavior, it's impossible to get them to unlearn it.  Please use bear cannisters -- don't sleep with your food.  It may be a PITA for you, but it's worse for the bears.  

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Saenz <msaenz@mve-architects.com>
Sent: Sep 16, 2005 9:16 AM
To: john coyle <coyle875@msn.com>, pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] WAS: Bearvault - NOW: Bear Behavior

I wonder what the range/migratory habits of bears are.
Does a bear live it's entire live within a specific range?
I think I heard somewhere that bears are territorial (I saw a great deal
of what looked like claw scratches around some trees in mid-Bubbs).

Any chance of the Vidette bear (we all gotta come up with a trail name
for this animal!) moving off the PCT?
I wouldn't care one wit if this bear simply moved out to, say Paradise
Valley. As long as it gets off the PCT so SEKI allows BearVaults back in
the area.

As for a name for this now-famous bear: I suggest "Pops" if it's a male
and "Poppy" if female!


Michael Saenz, Associate Partner
McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc.
A r c h i t e c t u r e  |  P l a n n i n g  |  I n t e r i o r s
MVE       MVE    Institutional       MVP    International
w  w  w   .   m  v  e   -   a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s   .   c  o m

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of john coyle
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 9:29 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [BULK] - [pct-l] Re: Bearvault

On Sept 14th Mike Saenz wrote:

I assume Fisher is well fed under supervision of a
veterinarian/nutritionist and may not be as motivated as the Vidette
bear. Some (both on this List and on the trail) have speculated that,
since the bear can see thru the BearVault, he's more tenacious in his
efforts to open them. One guy on the trail last week suggested that we
spray paint our BearVaults so the bears can't see the goodies inside.
Not sure if this is a valid idea or not...

I hope your comment, John, regarding capturing the Vidette bear and
keeping him in a zoo is tongue in cheek.
It would be a shame to punish the critter for being clever. I know I'd
rather live in Vidette Meadow than in a zoo...



Mike- You're right, my comment was mostly meant to be tongue in cheek
and basically making fun of Fisher's container busting abilities.  If
the Vidette bear continues with this behavior, and I see no reason why
it wouldn't, probably the best solution would be to re-locate it to a
remote wilderness area where it no longer comes in contact with people
and their containers.  Of course, there is always the possiblity that it
would migrate back to its original area.  I hope this bear is not a
female because then it would teach the behavior to its cubs which would
start a whole chain reaction of container popping. 

The Bearvault people are not going to like hearing this, and I know they
moniter this list, but last weekend at the Sacramento REI on Exposition
blvd. I overheard one saleperson discouraging folks from buying
Bearvaults due to this situation.  There are actually three REIs within
twenty miles of me; I live in a REI Bermuda triangle, except instead of
airplanes and ships, my money disappears with alarming frequency to buy
hiking gear!  

I have a Bearvault, I like the product, the Bearvault people seem
ethical, surely they can re-design the container to prevent it from
deforming when it's laid on its side under pressure.  They must be
working on it now.

John Coyle
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