Black bear in Fall River

[mikez2]

I've been roaming the countryside since I was 10. Over 50 years. Mostly suburbs but plenty deep woods and also quite a bit of combat style urban adventure. 

 

I've camped alone, under the stars numerous times. 

 

I've dealt with bears, coyotes, moose, homeless druggies, gang bangers, fire ants, venomous snakes and mad hornets.

 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago in a peaceful suburb that I actually felt some serious fear.

 

I got mobbed by a pack of approximately 20 loose dogs. Two tremendously gigantic great Danes, a snarling shepherd, several pit bulls and assorted mutts.

I was in a popular hiking spot.

The dogs were being run by a fly by night dog walking service that picked up dogs in two busses and turned them loose in the woods for a "walk". They had no control over the dogs and would not come rescue me. They stayed out of sight in the trees and screamed uselessly at the dogs from a distance. They were clearly avoiding interacting with me and wouldn't even answer when I addressed them directly. 

I was caught in the open and completely surrounded. There was no running, no tree climbing. I didn't have so much as a pocket knife. Not even a stick handy to pick up. I thought I was a goner. Or at least my nuts.

 

I froze (with hands over nuts) and didn't move a muscle for a good five minutes while they jumped and barked and snarled. The shepherd seemed ready to go. It was a dicey thing with him. One of the Danes fake nipped me with closed muzzle. Basically a sharp poke from a head the size of a wolf's. It was not playful. It was a little unnerving. 

 

Eventually they got bored and wandered off. I waited 5 minutes then tried to leave. They were on me before I got 100 feet. The whole thing over again. 

 

The entire encounter lasted at least a half hour with me seriously thinking I was F-ed. The whole time the two people never came to my aid, answered my shouts or gained control over the pack.

 

[Jeff270]

This /\   

 

I have spent countless hours in the woods every year for my entire life.  Bears want nothing to do with you.   For everyone you might see, there are probably 50 that saw you first.

 

If you need some animal to worry about, worry about dogs.  Your chance of getting mauled by a dog are infinitely more likely than any encounter with a bear (or other animal in the woods).  Fifi is a lot more of a threat than Yogi.

 

 

[Captain Tuttle]

The majority of black bears I've seen skedaddle as soon as a human is around.  Although, a co-worker told me about a black bear eyeing his cooler (clearly this bear habituated to humans).  The best story was from a former roommate who saw a black bear while hiking up a mountain.  My roomate ran away in a panic.  The black bear assumed my roommate was prey because of his flight response and the bear ran down the mountain after him.  I hear his story is often shared among EPOs in southern NH.  

[mikez2]

We have one or more bears that apparently hibernate in the hill behind where I work.

Every Fall there's like a two week period where they turn up in our local town FB page once or more a day. Everyone has trail cams in their yards.

I also will find tracks around my work if we get early snow.

 

Despite that, they are rarely seen in person. They have become a nuisance for bird feeders and I guess they mess with bee hives. Otherwise, the people who do not have cameras in their yards never even know a 300 lb animal was sniffing around their yard while they slept.

[Gotcow?]

On 5/22/2023 at 2:13 PM, zak-striper said:

 

 

 

 

 

I don't let the wildlife of central MA stop me from fishing.

Just beware of the cougars.   

[Gotcow?]

On 5/23/2023 at 12:31 PM, mikez2 said:

I've been roaming the countryside since I was 10. Over 50 years. Mostly suburbs but plenty deep woods and also quite a bit of combat style urban adventure. 

 

I've camped alone, under the stars numerous times. 

 

I've dealt with bears, coyotes, moose, homeless druggies, gang bangers, fire ants, venomous snakes and mad hornets.

 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago in a peaceful suburb that I actually felt some serious fear.

 

I got mobbed by a pack of approximately 20 loose dogs. Two tremendously gigantic great Danes, a snarling shepherd, several pit bulls and assorted mutts.

I was in a popular hiking spot.

The dogs were being run by a fly by night dog walking service that picked up dogs in two busses and turned them loose in the woods for a "walk". They had no control over the dogs and would not come rescue me. They stayed out of sight in the trees and screamed uselessly at the dogs from a distance. They were clearly avoiding interacting with me and wouldn't even answer when I addressed them directly. 

I was caught in the open and completely surrounded. There was no running, no tree climbing. I didn't have so much as a pocket knife. Not even a stick handy to pick up. I thought I was a goner. Or at least my nuts.

 

I froze (with hands over nuts) and didn't move a muscle for a good five minutes while they jumped and barked and snarled. The shepherd seemed ready to go. It was a dicey thing with him. One of the Danes fake nipped me with closed muzzle. Basically a sharp poke from a head the size of a wolf's. It was not playful. It was a little unnerving. 

 

Eventually they got bored and wandered off. I waited 5 minutes then tried to leave. They were on me before I got 100 feet. The whole thing over again. 

 

The entire encounter lasted at least a half hour with me seriously thinking I was F-ed. The whole time the two people never came to my aid, answered my shouts or gained control over the pack.

 

There would have been some dead dogs if I had been in your place.

[EliasA]

I’ve had a mama bear paw the water and splash at me from across a river while fly fishing up in New Hampshire once, but bears are generally pretty curious and skiddish.

 

dogs and moose are the only animals that really unnerve me in the woods, because a pack of dogs or a pissed off moose will tear you to pieces or trample you like nothing and with no provocation

[Ditch Jigger]

On 5/22/2023 at 6:45 PM, zak-striper said:

It's only a matter of time before the bear is poaching out of slot stripers at Bell Rd.

 

I've seen bears all over western MA, on the pike in Central MA and at Wachusett reservoir. No surprise they've made if father south in MA.

 

One made it all the way to P-town not that long ago. 

[Joe G]

On 5/23/2023 at 4:24 PM, Ditch Jigger said:

 

One made it all the way to P-town not that long ago. 

Bear Week draws all types of furry creatures. 

[b-ware]

On 5/23/2023 at 4:41 PM, Joe G said:

Bear Week draws all types of furry creatures. 

Some folks take pride n being bare..................

[dannyplug1]

I work in Fall River.  That bear is screwing withe wrong people.  Hope it’s packing Fall Riverites are tough people.  I should know I married a Fall River girl.

[mcnar]

On 5/23/2023 at 12:31 PM, mikez2 said:

I've been roaming the countryside since I was 10. Over 50 years. Mostly suburbs but plenty deep woods and also quite a bit of combat style urban adventure. 

 

I've camped alone, under the stars numerous times. 

 

I've dealt with bears, coyotes, moose, homeless druggies, gang bangers, fire ants, venomous snakes and mad hornets.

 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago in a peaceful suburb that I actually felt some serious fear.

 

I got mobbed by a pack of approximately 20 loose dogs. Two tremendously gigantic great Danes, a snarling shepherd, several pit bulls and assorted mutts.

I was in a popular hiking spot.

The dogs were being run by a fly by night dog walking service that picked up dogs in two busses and turned them loose in the woods for a "walk". They had no control over the dogs and would not come rescue me. They stayed out of sight in the trees and screamed uselessly at the dogs from a distance. They were clearly avoiding interacting with me and wouldn't even answer when I addressed them directly. 

I was caught in the open and completely surrounded. There was no running, no tree climbing. I didn't have so much as a pocket knife. Not even a stick handy to pick up. I thought I was a goner. Or at least my nuts.

 

I froze (with hands over nuts) and didn't move a muscle for a good five minutes while they jumped and barked and snarled. The shepherd seemed ready to go. It was a dicey thing with him. One of the Danes fake nipped me with closed muzzle. Basically a sharp poke from a head the size of a wolf's. It was not playful. It was a little unnerving. 

 

Eventually they got bored and wandered off. I waited 5 minutes then tried to leave. They were on me before I got 100 feet. The whole thing over again. 

 

The entire encounter lasted at least a half hour with me seriously thinking I was F-ed. The whole time the two people never came to my aid, answered my shouts or gained control over the pack.

 

This makes my blood boil… I think most people who own dogs shouldn’t.
 

Doesn’t help that I heard about this study recently that showed most pet dogs are significantly less happy (as defined by markers of stress in their bodies) than wild or feral dogs are, even though they seemingly “live the good life.” That’s because dogs evolved to constantly be scavenging or hunting for food, and our modern coddling of dogs basically physically and mentally stunts them and suppresses their instincts. 

 

Just something I found interesting.

[Joe G]

 Burkie just reported this bear is now in New Beige. 

[bob_G]

On 5/24/2023 at 2:22 PM, Joe G said:

 Burkie just reported this bear is now in New Beige. 

The New Bedford one bite pizza challenge.

[jason colby]

On 5/22/2023 at 2:57 PM, b-ware said:

And they love to play hide and seek..........

That is (obviously) a bigfoot in a bear suit!