Bears

[sgreear]

I don't really have a good place to put this but I have what I think might be a 4 to 600 pound black bear tearing my fence down I'm in Virginia where it is there is no Wi-Fi signal what's your go to game camera or anything camera? Prefer solar. I don't know whether this thing is chipped or not, but it needs to go somewhere. It's not in the same field as the Cattle, but I needed to turn them in there to eat. There are no bear whatever it is is not a good situation tearing fences down and cattle getting ready to be born in a month or two. Where are you going? What are you doing? What game camera do you use?

 

[mwj]

If it is a bear there should be signs. Look for tracks,fur or scat. Something that big leaves evidence behind.

Is there a food or water source that would be attracting something large?

 

[Ky hills]

My thinking is that if you are in VA, just like here in KY, there is certainly a probability of black bears being around.
You will see signs like scat, prints if it’s not too dry around ponds, creeks, etc.
They will climb trees and sometimes break limbs off, and scratches and claw marks. Rotten and dead trees can be brought down and demolished. I believe when food is scarce in dry times in the fall when they are trying to fatten up they can get desperate looking for food and will tear up posts and trees looking for insects or anything to eat.
I’ve seen fences ravaged where the posts were not in good shape and they just demolish those posts.
My suggestions would be to increase your presence in that particular field especially late in the evenings. Maybe that would discourage the bear from staying around there.

 

[sgreear]

My thinking is that if you are in VA, just like here in KY, there is certainly a probability of black bears being around.
You will see signs like scat, prints if it’s not too dry around ponds, creeks, etc.
They will climb trees and sometimes break limbs off, and scratches and claw marks. Rotten and dead trees can be brought down and demolished. I believe when food is scarce in dry times in the fall when they are trying to fatten up they can get desperate looking for food and will tear up posts and trees looking for insects or anything to eat.
I’ve seen fences ravaged where the posts were not in good shape and they just demolish those posts.
My suggestions would be to increase your presence in that particular field especially late in the evenings. Maybe that would discourage the bear from staying around there.

We've seen the Bears that size. I just don't know which one is tearing the fence down. I'm thinking I need a camera and that was what my original post was For to figure out which one and what time he's coming through there so we can make him go away.

 

[sgreear]

The fences are brand new. I actually see them on my front porch not the big one, 200 pounders. I've walked within 20 feet of them. I taste one off the porch and shot four times over top of its head and it would run under yard and sit down. I shot once every time it sit down. It's a good thing. It didn't come after me or take a step back towards me. I didn't wanna kill it. Something that Tame has to have a chip in it.

 

[farmerjan]

@kenny thomas ... you are in SW Va.... any thoughts???? Is there a fish and game dept that can do anything down that way???? Aren't the fish and game dept people supposed to help with animal destruction and such like that. We did lose a fairly good number to the mange that went through them last year.
I had a 75-100 lb young black bear killed in the road right at my driveway a week ago... Last year we saw a sow with 2 cubs several times so figure it was one of the cubs... my house sits right on the road (150 ft maybe) .. and I am only 3 miles from the interstate as the crow flies ... so NOT an area of seclusion here...

What about elk???? I understand they are in the sw area of Va and are a total nuisance and tear down fences..... We do not have them up here but the bears are pretty common.

There is a bear season also... but that won't help you now... Over in the more mountainous area of Allegheny county, I know one farmer that gets damage kill permits due to the very large number of black bears and the damage they do to their corn crops... they will walk right along the top of the concrete sides of the bunker silage pits...

 

[504RP]

The fences are brand new. I actually see them on my front porch not the big one, 200 pounders. I've walked within 20 feet of them. I taste one off the porch and shot four times over top of its head and it would run under yard and sit down. I shot once every time it sit down. It's a good thing. It didn't come after me or take a step back towards me. I didn't wanna kill it. Something that Tame has to have a chip in it.

Shoot lower next time.

 

[WalkerRanch 3-2]

I use these cameras. Inexpensive and takes good pics. Having difficulty getting link posted correctly & it says I am an Amazon associate and I am not.

 

[Travlr]

I don't really have a good place to put this but I have what I think might be a 4 to 600 pound black bear tearing my fence down I'm in Virginia where it is there is no Wi-Fi signal what's your go to game camera or anything camera? Prefer solar. I don't know whether this thing is chipped or not, but it needs to go somewhere. It's not in the same field as the Cattle, but I needed to turn them in there to eat. There are no bear whatever it is is not a good situation tearing fences down and cattle getting ready to be born in a month or two. Where are you going? What are you doing? What game camera do you use?

Do bears tear down fences? Like intentionally, or just crossing them and their weight/size/strength breaks down a single place?

 

[kenny thomas]

Today, and Wednesday is the early bear season in the western parts of Virginia. Then its December before your allowed to kill them again. I have forgotten which county you are in Virginia. If you dont want to shoot them then definitely call the Game Commission. They probably won't do anything though

 

[Ky hills]

We've seen the Bears that size. I just don't know which one is tearing the fence down. I'm thinking I need a camera and that was what my original post was For to figure out which one and what time he's coming through there so we can make him go away.

I understand what you were asking. I can’t really advise anything on modern day trail cameras, the one that I used years ago just ran off of a battery and had a sd card in it.
I didn’t understand from your post that you had actually been seeing multiple bears, although I’m not surprised as we have been for several years here too.
Depending on individual bears I reckon, it seems like our continued activity in an area seems to keep them away somewhat.
We’ve only had one instance where I thought a bear may have bothered a calf.
Found the calf standing with a several inch gash on its side just behind its front leg, flank area. Calf died by the next morning.

 

[Ky hills]

Do bears tear down fences? Like intentionally, or just crossing them and their weight/size/strength breaks down a single place?

Yes they can tear down fences. I doubt it’s intentional per se. They will climb over. If there’s a place where the ground is low like where a water branch goes through or a wash out area they will go under.
We have had them tear up a fence in an area with some old posts. Probably trying to get to insects in the hollow posts is what I figured. They will tear up dead trees like that too.

 

[sgreear]

@kenny thomas ... you are in SW Va.... any thoughts???? Is there a fish and game dept that can do anything down that way???? Aren't the fish and game dept people supposed to help with animal destruction and such like that. We did lose a fairly good number to the mange that went through them last year.
I had a 75-100 lb young black bear killed in the road right at my driveway a week ago... Last year we saw a sow with 2 cubs several times so figure it was one of the cubs... my house sits right on the road (150 ft maybe) .. and I am only 3 miles from the interstate as the crow flies ... so NOT an area of seclusion here...

What about elk???? I understand they are in the sw area of Va and are a total nuisance and tear down fences..... We do not have them up here but the bears are pretty common.

There is a bear season also... but that won't help you now... Over in the more mountainous area of Allegheny county, I know one farmer that gets damage kill permits due to the very large number of black bears and the damage they do to their corn crops... they will walk right along the top of the concrete sides of the bunker silage pits...

Yes I'm in sw va. Montgomery county. There are kill permits but you see one every 3-6 months and I don't hunt much. I have not thought about having game comission come trap him. I had one come on porch and look in window. I'd guess 250 lb. I don't have corn. I was after what game cam be best and I get a time coming through and a pattern he travels. He isn't eating to much just tearing fence down where cows can get out

 

[sgreear]

Shoot lower next time.

I would have shot lower last time if I knew he wasn't chipped.

 

[ChrisB2]

Hot wire on side they come in from? Seems to keep them off the fence here. Still come into the yard, but come in and leave on the driveway.

 

[Dave]

The dogs barked all night for a couple nights. Yesterday there was no wind fall apples on the eat side of the house but a dozen piles of bear poop. The question goes, does a bear poop in the woods? The answer is, no they poop in my yard.
It is bear season. I have a bear tag. My son has a bear tag. This bear just needs to show its face in the day light. And not be a sow with cubs like last year.

 

[sgreear]

I understand what you were asking. I can’t really advise anything on modern day trail cameras, the one that I used years ago just ran off of a battery and had a sd card in it.
I didn’t understand from your post that you had actually been seeing multiple bears, although I’m not surprised as we have been for several years here too.
Depending on individual bears I reckon, it seems like our continued activity in an area seems to keep them away somewhat.
We’ve only had one instance where I thought a bear may have bothered a calf.
Found the calf standing with a several inch gash on its side just behind its front leg, flank area. Calf died by the next morning.

Yes multiple sitings at the house. Big boy seen a few yrs ago near fence tear down. Guy said it's head was as big as a pumpkin. He was afraid to shoot it. I figure it's the culprit. It looked like a car was dropped on it and stretched it down and left. I should have taken pics. We pulled back with barbed wire to hopefully keep cows in. If he don't like it he tear it down again or somewhere else.

 

[kenny thomas]

An electric wire is pretty much the only way to go. Or eliminate the food source he is after.

 

[sgreear]

No activity since Sunday. Here is patch

 

[sgreear]

Patch