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  • Magnumst

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 26, 2013
    1,253
    So last year my neighbor sent me some trail cam pictures of a bear which is uncommon by not unheard of for Carroll county.
    6fc9717e039de3c38540023c9339bec4.jpg

    We where thinking that it was just passing through? A few months later the neighbor on the other side had his bird feeder pushed over and was convinced a buck had gotten his antlers tangled and pulled/pushed it over. Then just Monday the same thing happened with no visible signs of the cause. And then this morning he finds this.
    5e50013a769b0f3c84a4b0892656991a.jpg

    ec6e26d60d87cb93ac172ec5431e6a1d.jpg

    I’m guessing he decided to hang around?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,159
    Mt Airy
    They're around for sure. Not regularly, but they're around. I've got a couple of cameras out, and one day I'm sure I'll be able to add to the story.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    My uncle lived in the Poconos and fed the birds. Bears LOVE bird seed so your neighbor should get used to fixing his feeders.
     

    Racer Doug14

    Thread killer
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Feb 22, 2013
    8,003
    Millers Maryland
    I dont see any reason we dont see them more often in CC?. My brother has had 3 wreck his bird feeders in the last month. He's in Columbia, VA.
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    They are here. My neighbor seal coated his driveway and the next morning, there were bear tracks across it, heading across my lawn and crossing the next neighbor's driveway. Years ago, there was a sow and her two cubs in Sykesville by the big rock next to the miniature train ride.
     

    remodeler1

    Active Member
    Jul 23, 2013
    837
    Frederick
    A couple of my old neighbors have pics of bears on trail cams in the Mt Airy area over the past few years. This was just north east of town.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Stupid as heck question, because it'll probably never happen...but this seems like the place for stupid (and often good too) questions.

    So various county and state laws and regulations all seem to enshrine if it is a threat to life, livestock or property, you can kill it out of season.

    I am assuming the more...um...generally protected the species the more they are going to want a legitimate property threat. For example, DNR/local cops might not bat an eye at you popping a bunny in your garden eating your veggies, but would have some very pointed questions if a bear pushes over your bird feeder if you shot it.

    So, I don't now that they are enough of predators to do this, but what if a bear is getting in to a chicken coop? A fox or racoon would have a hard time getting in to mine. Hell, a coyote probably couldn't. Something that burrows if it was smart and started far enough way could eventually get in (wire is laid 2 feet out from the walls across the ground and weighted down with large rocks). But something like a juvenile, let alone adult, black bear I am sure could rip open the steel hardware cloth like a sheet.

    If you had chickens, what would you do? Call DNR and ask and wait the likely several minutes till they gave you a response? Call local police and wait the 5-30 minute response time (we don't need no stinking guns, cops will be there in seconds to protect us! *snort*)? Shoot the bear and then call DNR?

    Just curious. I am probably more likely to see a coyote trying to get at my chickens than a black bear. At least here.
     

    Silverlode

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 16, 2010
    4,797
    Frederick
    Stupid as heck question, because it'll probably never happen...but this seems like the place for stupid (and often good too) questions.

    So various county and state laws and regulations all seem to enshrine if it is a threat to life, livestock or property, you can kill it out of season.

    I am assuming the more...um...generally protected the species the more they are going to want a legitimate property threat. For example, DNR/local cops might not bat an eye at you popping a bunny in your garden eating your veggies, but would have some very pointed questions if a bear pushes over your bird feeder if you shot it.

    So, I don't now that they are enough of predators to do this, but what if a bear is getting in to a chicken coop? A fox or racoon would have a hard time getting in to mine. Hell, a coyote probably couldn't. Something that burrows if it was smart and started far enough way could eventually get in (wire is laid 2 feet out from the walls across the ground and weighted down with large rocks). But something like a juvenile, let alone adult, black bear I am sure could rip open the steel hardware cloth like a sheet.

    If you had chickens, what would you do? Call DNR and ask and wait the likely several minutes till they gave you a response? Call local police and wait the 5-30 minute response time (we don't need no stinking guns, cops will be there in seconds to protect us! *snort*)? Shoot the bear and then call DNR?

    Just curious. I am probably more likely to see a coyote trying to get at my chickens than a black bear. At least here.

    In Emmitsburg, have had a decent sized black bear in the yard a few times over the last couple of years that I am aware of. In fact, the game camera was right near the chicken house and spotted another time early morning in the same vicinity. It had made no attempt to get into the chicken house or get at the goats either, which are literally penned 10 yds from the chicken house. Maybe just lucky. Raccoons, on the other hand, are a problem.
    I don't know the answer to your legal questions. I think it best to call DNR and ask.
     

    rgramjet

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 25, 2009
    2,962
    Howard County
    They have gotten thick in SW VA where I hunt. Literally bear scat every hundred yards if not less.

    This year there is an early firearms season for bear. Of course, AFTER they created a separate bear tag, that is ~$160, for non residents. Bear, deer and Turkey used to be on the same big game tag.
     

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