When Black Bears Come To Town

The author (left) took this 350-pound sow in the U.P. Tony Knight with 450--pounder.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle newspaper had bear photos on the paper earlier this week. At least two black bears came to town for a brief visit. They were probably both boars (male) bears looking for a sow (female) to breed.

There was one photo of a Michigan State Police (I think) officer a few feet from the wild animal, and a man standing on his porch (also close), and neither person acted concerned. Often when bruins come visiting, the animal climbs a tree and a crowd gathers below.

No one seems to act as if this is a wild animal, one that is fiercely fast and strong, and could harm or kill a human. If a bear shows up, everyone calls their friends and neighbors, and the whole crew surrounds the animal. That someone hasn’t been seriously injured with their foolish actions, is a miracle. A black bear and out-run a horse for 40 yards, and I don’t care how fast you could run the 100-yard dash in high school, any time a human is within 100 yards of a bear, they are in potential danger.

Black bears, no matter how cute and cuddly they look, cannot be trusted.

During my 44 years of outdoor writing, I have deliberately put myself close to wild bears for the purpose of taking photos. Sometimes I’ve been armed but often I am not. I know a good bit about the unpredictability of black bears, and whenever I’ve been close, I am well aware of the problems. One can get close to some bears, and other animals will attack. I’ve had many close encounters with bruins, have written bear attack stories for Outdoor Life magazine years ago, and have faced many bluffing charges.

The difference between a bluff charge is like bluffing on a poker bet.
The problem is few people can tell the difference. If a bear bluffs, and the human runs, he/she may be attacked and seriously hurt or killed. Never run from a mean dog, and never run from any bear unless the bear is far away and you are close to cover.

A black  bear might look cute and cuddly, but people who live in bear country know (or should know) that looks can be deceiving. Never, ever turn your back on a bear.

Bears, right now, are moving around. This is the beginning of their breeding period, and boars are looking for sows. Those sows with nearly two-year-old cubs are sending the kids off on their own so they can breed with the largest boar in the area. This means that people who frequent cedar swamps, other dense and thick areas, could encounter a bruin.
Folks who live in and around Traverse City obviously live in bear country. Don’t forget that we do live near bruins even though we seldom see them.

Never trust a black bear of any age. They are unpredictable animals.

Some black bears attack. Some do not, but people shouldn't walk around without being aware of what is going on in the woods around them. A sow with cubs is always a potential threat, and boars occasionally attack as well.

Black bear encounters can be sticky or the bruin may run at the first sight or smell of a human. But here are some recorded black bear attacks by animals that didn't play by the rules. As you will see, some paid with their life.

Some documented Michigan black bear attacks.

*The Early 1900s: Frank Devereaux, of the Cheboygan area, was attacked by a bruin after he shot the animal in the flank with a muzzleloader. The bear struck the man on the head and killed him after biting him on the leg. The animal was later found dead a short distance from Devereaux's body.

A wood sign was placed at his grave site and it reads: "Here lies F. Devereaux, killed by the ferocity of a famous bear, in whose memory this monument has been erected out of generosity of his grandson." A marble headstone was added years later.

*July 7, 1948: Three-year-old Carol Ann Pomranky lived with her parents in the Upper Peninsula in a remote U.S. Forest Service fire-tower cabin near Brimley. The girl was playing outside when a 125-pound bear pulled her off the cabin porch. The animal dragged her into the woods, killed her by biting through her neck -- severing her spine -- and fed on the body. The bear was killed the same day as it returned to feed on the little girl’s corpse.

Some people survived bear attacks and some did not.

*June 5, 1960: Arthur DeGault, 71, of Engadine was attacked by a sow with three cubs. The man happened on the bears by accident, and when he tried to get away, she attacked and bit his thigh. He hit the sow with his fist, and it stood erect to swat and bite him as he tried to back away. He drew a knife and stabbed the bear several times. The bruin fled, and he walked a mile to his home. His injuries required 100 stitches.

*July, 1975: Paul Cameron, 16, of Dearborn, was camping in the Upper
Peninsula’s Porcupine Mountains. He awoke in the morning and heard a bear prowling around. The animal knocked his tent down and began dragging it away.

Cameron rolled from the tent, lay motionless on the ground, and the bruin grabbed him by the throat with its teeth. He screamed, and the bear dropped him and ran away. A 125-pound sow with two cubs were later killed as they ransacked his abandoned tent.

*Autumn, 1976: Joe Newman, Sr. of Palmer was grouse hunting and nearly stepped on two sleeping bear cubs. They squalled, and Newman was charged by the sow. The bear was shot three times at point-blank range with a 20-gauge shotgun. Newman was not injured.

*June, 1978: Michael Patterson, 19, of Alma, was attacked by a boar and climbed a balsam tree to escape. His back and legs had been bitten and scratched by a bear, but he died of a ruptured lung and kidney. It's thought a bear pulled the man from the tree, and the fall killed him.

*September 19, 1982: John Skosnik of Warren was bear hunting and apparently shot a sow that was accompanied by unseen cubs. The wounded sow charged the hunter and bit him numerous times before leaving.

Bears are very unpredictable. There have been several very close encounters between me and adult black bears but I have never had a major problem. But the next bruin I meet may prove to be an exception to the rule. Never trust a black bear, and whenever possible, avoid any confrontation.

Black bears that visit Michigan’s cities are not tame. Stay away from them.

Bears have invaded Traverse City, and these wandering critters of late spring and early summer are almost always young two-year-old boars. All are trying to find a new home, somewhere where larger bears won’t be running them off or trying to eat them. Besides the local bruins, bears have been seen in the Thumb area, near Midland, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and even down the Michigan-Indiana border. Bears are moving around and people should be aware of their surroundings. One of the Traverse City bears was seen wandering the streets that day.

I think it’s neat that bruins can live fairly close to civilization. However, too many bears near large population centers frighten little old men and women and children. How people react to bears at close range can determine the outcome of such encounters.

Whatever you do, never run from a black bear. It can cause the animal to chase you, and bears can out-run a galloping horse for 100 yards. Stand your ground, make yourself look as large as possible, and talk – don’t shout – at the animal. If it’s possible try to back away but never turn your back to a bear.

Know some of the rules of bear-human confrontations.

This bear is the size of the largest bruin in Traverse City, Michigan. It is over 400 pounds.

Over many years I’ve had quite a number of face-to-face encounters with a bear. I’ve yet to be attacked, but have had a few bruins conduct a false charge. Trust me, if you’ve never been at the end of a false charge, you’ll think the bear is going to eat you alive. Often, it’s possible to softly talk a bear out of continue the charge,.

Softly spoken words, and standing face to face with a bear, calls for some courage. Turn and try to run under such circumstances and an encounters can quickly turn into a real attack. Common sense, remaining as calm as possible, and time may cause the bear to walk away, and that’s always a good thing.

Sound, scientific management can help control bear numbers. Contrary to some thoughts, bears are best managed by hunting. If a specific area starts seeing far more bears than normal, an increase in the number of bear harvest permits can be increased. Hunting the animals is the best way to keep bear numbers at acceptable levels.

There are black, brown, grizzly and polar bears. The three larger bears can be unpredictable, but if they charge and cause and bear-human encounter, may bat you around, bite a few times and walk away. The black bear is the most unpredictable: if it charges and makes contact, the results can be fatal.

If you see a bear in the back yard, watch it from the house. Call the DNR or police, but don’t stress out the animal by calling a bunch of people. Left alone, the animal will usually move on. Disturbed and stressed by people, can make bears edgy,  and after many close encounters, I know that most people can live a long life without up-close action.

Title: When Black Bears Come To Town

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, bear, encounters, false, charges, face, bear, don’t, run, stay, alert))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors