Black Bears

Talk about sightings and get help identifying Plants, Animals, Fish, and Fungi. Share pictures and video.

Moderators: Brenda, Kelly

Post Reply
User avatar
WeatherGoddess
Rookie
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:57 pm

It was at the east end of Butcher Hill Road almost to Townsendville Rd. I heard there were claw marks where the bear tore down a board to get in a barn where there was a momma cat & her litter. All the cats were gutted. Apparently, DEC confirmed the prints and claw marks as a bear.
User avatar
Brenda
VIP II
VIP II
Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:01 pm
Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Location: Lodi

That would be my neighbors up the road. I did hear about the incident from another neighbor, but at the time they weren't sure what had killed the cats. I'm glad that my cat's an indoor cat! I'm certainly going to keep a close eye on the dogs when they're out.
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
User avatar
Brenda
VIP II
VIP II
Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:01 pm
Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Location: Lodi

Black bear turns up in Sweden

Animal is spotted on Northampton Park trail

Victoria E. Freile
Staff writer

(July 2, 2007) — The black bear that wandered through Monroe County last month is back.

About 1:15 p.m. Sunday, someone spotted a small bear in Northampton Park in western Monroe County, according to Monroe County emergency dispatchers.

A passer-by called 911 and told dispatchers that a small black bear was wandering down a trail in the county park, somewhere between Salmon Creek and Sweden Walker Road in the town of Sweden.

By the time deputies arrived at the scene, the bear was long gone, said Cpl. John Helfer of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies believe that the bear is the same young, male black bear that wandered through several Monroe County towns last month, including Pittsford, Gates and Ogden, Helfer said.

The black bear also had been spotted near several golf courses, including Genesee Valley Park on June 23 and near the Wegmans LPGA tournament at Locust Hill Country Club on June 22.

It appears as though the bear has been in the Ogden area for the past week, most recently spotted Saturday afternoon near Hutchings Road, Helfer said.

State Department of Environmental Conservation officials have been monitoring the bear's whereabouts since it first came into the area from Steuben County or Livingston County. The animal is estimated to weigh 180 pounds.

People who see the bear should not try to approach it and should call 911, Helfer said.
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
User avatar
Matt
President
President
Posts: 13374
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:01 pm
Camera Model: Olympus OMD EM-1 m1, m2; Panasonic GM5, Osmo Pocket
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

I was wondering where he went.
User avatar
Brenda
VIP II
VIP II
Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:01 pm
Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Location: Lodi

Another Monroe County Bear Sighting
by Casey J. Bortnick
Published Jul 05, 2007

Just when you thought it was safe to leave that picnic basket out, the summer bear sightings are back. The Department of Environmental Conservation believes it's now dealing with two young black bears on different sides of Monroe County. Most people don't seem too alarmed by the latest sightings.

"People just use some common sense and treat it as a wild animal," said DEC Regional Wildlife Manager Mike Wasilco.

It's an animal rarely seen in Monroe County, at least until this summer. And what was once thought to be one bear has become two.

"It's pretty likely the bear that was seen in the Rush area today is a different bear," Wasilco said.

After the first sighting in Henrietta last month, the DEC tracked a young black bear though several towns to Western Monroe County.

"The bear got all the attention a couple of weeks ago. It's still being seen out in the Ogden area," he added.

That bear was spotted in Ogden again Thursday morning. At about the same time, another black bear was seen miles away at the Wildwood Country Club in Rush. A maintenance worker was cutting the grass behind the 18th tee when he spotted the bear standing about 35 yards away. John Trott of Webster told RNews the bear simply looked around for a few minutes before heading back into the woods. So far the sighting of the bear hasn't kept the golfers from playing.

"Absolutely not," said Jim Donovan. "I might be worried about my playing partners, one of them getting me, but certainly not any bear," Donovan added.

The DEC believes both bears migrated north from the Finger Lakes. Wasilco agrees there's no real cause for concern as long as people remember to secure their garbage, and keep an eye on bird feeders.

"Once bears start associating people with food , they start to get into trouble and start losing their fear of people. And that's when they become dangerous," Wasilco said.

The DEC has no plans to trap either bear unless they move into more populated areas. To help continue tracking both animals, the public is asked to call the DEC at (585) 226-5380 with any sightings.
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
Jennifer
Junior
Junior
Posts: 58
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:08 pm
Camera Model: 50D with 10D backup
Location: Watkins Glen
Contact:

We had a bear sighting a mile up our road from my house this past weekend. He visited three homes and then headed for our gully. He was spotted just before Christmas as well....and about 6 years before that.

I also heard there was a bear sighted in the vineyards near Smith Park.

I'm glad they are around...now I just want to see one for myself!
User avatar
Brenda
VIP II
VIP II
Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:01 pm
Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Location: Lodi

Jennifer wrote:I'm glad they are around...now I just want to see one for myself!
I'll second that!
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
User avatar
WeatherGoddess
Rookie
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:57 pm

From 13wham.com news:

Bears in the Burbs
Last Update: Jul 11, 2007 8:12 AM

(Rochester, N.Y.) -- At least five black bears have been spotted in Monroe and Ontario counties. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation calls the sightings unusual, but people who've seen them say they're "neat."

Monday morning, Hobart and William Smith Colleges staff photographer Kevin Colton got a wild assignment.

"I just kept shooting because I didn't know if he was just going to turn around and go back in the woods," said Colton of the young, three-foot-high black bear. "It wasn't like you had this vicious animal coming out from behind with the teeth and claws. He climbed in the dumpster, had some pizza and left."

The bear was first spotted in a cemetery about a quarter mile away. Then at about 10 a.m. it was college-bound.

The DEC said that the bear then turned around and headed south toward Watkins Glen in the Southern Tier, where most of the bears in this region come from.

"Five bears north of finger lakes, I haven't seen that in a number of years, if at all," said Randy Nemecek of the DEC. "It's been fairly dry, so they are looking for different food sources.”

Populations are growing and spreading out. Tracking them doesn't involve push pins on a map or bloodhounds sniffing them out, just a log of calls from people who see the bears. The DEC goes out and looks for themselves.

"He turned and looked at us and semi-posed," Nemeck said.

Those who've seen then bears say they're "cute."

However, the DEC fears that some people will see the bears and think they can approach them. They say that is exactly the wrong thing to do. Call the department or local law enforcement instead.
Post Reply