🐻BEAR WATCH


We have good bears around here. I have not seen any in the yard in years. They are out in their natural habitat, passing by on the trailcams. 

April 22 – water barrel knocked over. We had a visitor! Jr.
May 16th - at the scratching tree: Bearly there! Sr.
May 21 – 5 p.m. Bear 5 pm may 21  
May 31  –  at duck nesting box, momma and twins
June 4 – on 2 cameras doing a selfie Jr.
June 7 – frogpond trailcam Sr. bear 
June 9 – bear sniff | both cameras
June 10 – he was   at the frogpond
June 16 – back 40
June 20 – bear and twins 
July 6thSenior bear
July 28 – Momma bear & FOUR cubsThis was fun. Momma bear is clearly lactating. Baby bear sniffed the forest camera, then the group moved along to the frogpond trailcam.
Oct. 4th  – Big bear 
Nov. 17thBear

First sign: May 13 – We had a nocturnal visitor! He bent my bird feeder post.
May 14 –  Trailcam tail going into the forest 📹
May 18 – Coming towards us on the trailcam  📹
May 19th – at dusk in the backyard  📹.
May 25 – BIG BEAR turned up at 7 p.m., 7:24, and 10 p.m.!📹
June 14on the trailcam in the wee hours. 📹
July 6th – bear in the rain. 📹
July 30th – on the trailcam.  📹
Sept. 16Itchy bear!  😆 📹


June 5 – First one on the trailcam: Booboo 2 📹
July 9 – On the trailcam an hour before I fetched the cards. Critters galore: Booboo2!
July 20 – reports of a big bear at Beveridge's Locks. Since May.
July 25 – Report of three cubs Elm Grove and Hughes Rd.
July 28 – Bear scat on Sunset Dr.,
August 3 – in the afternoon, by the frog pond. Momma and 3 cubs.
August 15 – Booboo 2 at 7:30 a.m.📹

In North American news, bear attacks are few and far between. Our local black bears know to fear people.


These are our local bear sightings. Booboo Bear: a frequent flyer

Mid-March – Whisky Island bear sighting
April 2 – "Otty Lake: a visit from a black bear around midnight last night in the Mary Miller Bay Area North Shore. Destroyed our bird feeder. May still be in the area." –from Facebook.
April 3 – The bears are back: Otty Lake/Jebb’s Creek.
April 22 – a small cub reported. Blair Poole Rd., SE Otty Lake.
May 17 – small bear eating squash. Perhaps a yearling.
May 19 – Wee bear was back <= trailcam video. I'm calling it Booboo.
May 22I hadn't seen Booboo bear since May 22
June 3 – large bear on the trailcam

June 6 – another large bear.
We have Junior Bear #2 in the forest.  
June 20Booboo bear was back.



July 1st On the trailcam 📹
July 3rd – On the trailcam  📹
July 7th – Again, trailcam trying to wreck my camera!  📹
July 20, 2020, a bear killed a berry picker in Dryden, Ontario. This is really unusual in Ontario. We must be Bear Wise.
July 21 – Booboo bear running 📹
July 23 Noon, on the trailcam📹
July 25 – Both cats had come onto the deck. Kinda unusual. Booboo was in the backyard, he lay down in the shade. When he saw us, he slipped down into the gully.
July 31 6:33 a.m. on the trailcam📹
July 31 – Noon, on the trailcam 📹, having knocked it over. 
Aug. 7 – trailcam 📹, a bit of a visit.
Aug. 11 Booboo 11; trailcam, 8 p.m. 📹
Aug. 15 – Booboo didn't like the trailcam! He readjusted it;12. 📹
Aug. 19 – I spotted Booboo off in the forest, beyond the trailcam. He heard me and turned around and fled.
Aug. 23 – Booboo 13 on the trailcam: 1:37 a.m.  📹
Aug. 28 – Booboo 14 on the 'cam📹

April 20 – Bear trapped and relocated up the road and across the way.
June 12 – Bear poop on trail...
July 2 –  Bear on trailcam, far end of pond. Good boy!
July 10 – Bear on the trailcams, through the forest.
Sept. 14 – Junior Bear on the trailcam, in the meadow.
Sept. 16 – Junior Bear down by the frog pond.
Oct. 27 – FOUR bears, triplets trailcam video  
Nov. 9Trailcam video momma and twins?


May 6  – First sighting in 2018, backyard.
May 11 – Trailcam tales (video), 1:43 a.m. in the backyard,  21:41 on the frog pond camera, headed away.
May 13 – 20:10 by the frog pond headed towards the house, and 9 p.m. backyard, headed to the pond.
May 24 – frog pond – things are hopping. (May 24 - 27th)
May 25 – backyard, AND frog pond up on his hind legs, as well as deer, porcupine, and coyote. (May 24 - 27th)
May 26th – Frog pond (2 p.m.), and 8:50 p.m. Sightings: bear and fox: May 24 - 27th.
May 31st – 1:00, 3:00 a.m. bear @ frog pond, and backyard, coyote, hare.
June 2nd – bear bum on the cherry tree trail cam, behind the house.
June 5th – 7:15 p.m. beside the frog pond.
June 7 – 20:23  TWO bears beside the frog pond, 12 C.
June 21 – 23:13, 6 C.!
June 30 twice – once at 11:14 p.m., and again, at 22:55!
July 20 – meadow trailcam, 6:31 a.m., right when JB returned from his walk.




June 2nd – bear bum on the cherry tree trail cam, behind the house.



June 5th – 7:15 p.m. beside the frog pond
bear from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

June 7 – 20:23  TWO bears beside the frog pond, 12 C.



June 21 – 23:13, 6 C.!



June 30 twice: once at 11:14 p.m., and again, at 22:55!

The meadow


A big one, down at the end of the frog pond.


July 20 – meadow trailcam, 6:31 a.m., right when JB returned from his walk just up the hill.



Junior Bear took the opportunity to remove my trailcam from the tree. Sept. 27th, 2017. sigh.
Our annual May bear visitation

I found the bear in the backyard, June 19, 2017: Bears came back AGAIN!

He's been quite active around Otty Lake this Spring and Summer. One woman had him all day on her property.

Recent sightings
UPDATE: Two bears were shot around here last week (July), this is what I was told at the Otty Lake AGM. Shameful.They are smart critters, fearful of humans most of the time. If not, they can be chased away.

The bears have been active in the area, but people need to put away their feeders. There is no need to attract them.

It was predictable, wasn't it?
I've been helping people figure out how to drive them away. It didn't work.

Black Bear territory vary widely depending on food needs, sex, size and age. Adult Females have a home range up to 39 km2 (15 square miles). Adult Males have a larger home range closer to 65 km2 (25 sq. mi). But Young Black Bears finding new territories might go 240 km (150 miles). They can run 56 km/hr (35 m/hr). 
Lots are reporting around this area. July 14th I made the mistake of putting out the feeder. He had been patrolling in the night, visited July 15th back at the feeder at 6:15 a.m.!

Two hikers attacked by bear south of Sudbury

CBC News Posted: Sep 05, 2017 7:46 AM ET
The dog came into contact with a black bear and then ran back toward the hikers with the bear in pursuit.

    2017

    1. May 12th – wrecked our bird feeder!
    2. May 13th – Our annual May bear visitation 
    3. May 13th – 5:06 p.m. quick visit. I scared it.
    4. May 14th, Sunday, Mother's Day – 4:27 a.m. on the trailcam by wood duck box #3, 
    5. May 14th–  8:00 a.m. Bear #3A  on Vimeo.
    6. May 14th – 8:36 a.m. – Hubby returned with breakfast for me. 
    7. Bear visit – on Vimeo.
    8. powerful animal
      May
    9. May 18 – it was back to try tip the empty bird feeder. Bent the posts.
    10. May 15th – Momma with cubs, lone male at birdfeeder off CLifford Cr.
    11. May 24th – : I scared him.
    12. June 1st – Bear scat. Front yard, near Maggie Magnolia.
    13. June 13th – 7:30 p.m. – on the trailcam, down in the meadow.  I'm happy he's turned out to be a normal bear, and hasn't been seen hear the house. (Famous Last Words!)
    14. June 15th, dinner time – Sauntering along the driveway, on vimeo. Back three times. 
    15. June 16th, 9:19 a.m. – In the morning, video.
    16. June 17th – 6:00 p.m., 3 bears: whilst eating dinner. Momma and cub, then 10 min later, another cub (video & bear horn).
    17. Neighbours said it was in their yard, they shot a gun to scare it, he came back with an apple and ate it on their front lawn.
    18. June 21 – 2:30 p.m. captured on the trailcam.
    19. June 24 – From Facebook: 1) Saturday a about 250 Lbs black bear on a lake deck. 2) Neighbors, had one at about 2 hours later.  3) Here: 20:32 in our meadow, on the trailcam, video.  4) A cub in a garbage around the lake Saturday morning. Came back last night and flipped their recycling bins.
    20. June ? – Whippoorwhill Lane.
    21. July 3rd – Beaver Dam Lane – most of the day.
    22. July 4th – Carson Gr., 4:30 p.m., & 6 p.m., Mary Miller Rd.
    23. July 15th – He's been eating bugs, and was back at the feeder!
    24. Sept. 12th – Trailcam (video)
    25. Sept. 13th – trailcam (video)
    26. Sept. 17th – trailcam (video)
    27. Sept. 27th – trailcam (video)
    28. Oct. 31st – trailcam (video)

    We've had previous bear visits, primarily in May, and they haven't hung around. This year is unusual.

    June 1, 2015 – Bear in the meadow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
    May 17, 2016 – Bear went over the mountain on Vimeo.
    Sept. 3, 2016 – Trailcam critters Sept. on Vimeo.


    Otty Lake bear sightings rise, officials urge caution - 2006


    Read more here: Preventing or discouraging wild animals in your yard; bears included
    • Make garbage and compost inaccessible to wildlife:

      • Use heavy garbage cans with locking lids
      • Fasten lids with bungee cords
      • Put garbage out the morning of pick-up, not overnight
      • Never discard meat, dairy or egg products in compost piles.
    • Always secure pet food, garbage and compost in containers with locking lids and store them in an enclosed structure. 
    • Keep your BBQs clean.
    • Use motion-sensitive floodlights to startle and scare away wildlife
    • Keep pet doors locked at night
    • Do not leave pet food outside overnight
    • Keep BBQ grills clean and close BBQ lids after use
    • Close your doors, screens won't keep them out
    • Clean up animal feces (coyotes are attracted to it!).
    • Protect vegetable gardens with heavy-duty fencing, or grow vegetables in a greenhouse.
    • Pick fruit as soon as it is ripe.
    • Remove fruit windfall from the ground. 
    • Be aware that bird feeders bring birds, large and small mammals, such as squirrels (i.e. prey) to your yard.

    Bear sightings  2017 in the news

    Incident

    Kenyan Rd.: Bear followed young son out of the bush, hunter found a bear in garage, has kids, shot and killed bear. Was a bear dispatched under section 31? Within their rights, but not recommended. He was a hunter, which is safer.  Yearling was in his garbage in the garbage. In the garage counts as being in a dwelling.  Normal bears don't go into garages.
    Had photos from a week before, same age, size, etc.
    Bear habituated, feeders, garbage, intentionally feeding other wildlife. A trap was set.
    The day before it walked past the trap, seen on his trailcam. Should have gone in and gotten a 2nd chance.

    'I was jabbing her with an arrow,' recalls Sask. hunter dragged from tree by mother bear – September 8th, 2017

    A bear in Armour's landfill has led to questioning its safety policies
    Staff knew the bear was hanging around for a while - July 21
    Even though there hasn’t been a recorded fatal black bear attack in Ontario since 30-year-old Jacqueline Perry was mauled by a bear in Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park in 2006, bears can reach up to speeds of 60 kilometres per hour and Alaska has faced a string of fatal black bear attacks last month. (Four people attacked in a week, 2 dead.)
    It’s been a deadly year for black bears in the Okanagan and around B.C. In May alone, more than twice as many bears were put down in the Okanagan during the same month last year. There were 25 black bears destroyed in the Okanagan last month. Conservation officer Ed Sietz would like to see local governments do more to ensure the public cleans up and manages attractants.
    Mom, infant have close encounter with bear

    She watched while the bear finally rose from its haunches, walked around the tree and looked upward at a bird feeder, then ambled down the driveway and into a neighbour's yard.
    The encounter off Strader Rd. is the third South Dundas bear sighting reported to Nation Valley News this spring. (JUNE 19, 2017)

    Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry had earlier set up trap for animal (May 27, 2017)

    Bear that wandered in Whitby to be released into the wild today after being tranquillized (June 19, 2017)
    Video shows people taking photos just metres away from wild black bear in Ontario park
    Video shows people taking photos just metres away from wild black bear in ... “When bears or any animals get accustomed to humans, they start ...

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