Author Topic: Bad Spring For Grizz (Read 4561 times)

sheepguide · « **on:** April 26, 2012, 02:11:04 PM »

Sure has been a bad year around home here for Grizz. Been 3 or 4 farms having calves killed with at least 4 different bears seen and this week they caught a tank of a Grizz weighing in close to 1000lbs. They had to bring in an oversized trap to get it in. Front claws are suppossed to measure 6-7inches.

Sure glad we have a shortage of Griz in Alberta. Could you imagin if populations were good!!!

pitw · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:29:43 PM »

That would make checking the cows a whole lot more exciting. Never saw a Grizz on this side of the province so I guess maybe that's where they are counting them.

sheepguide · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:36:37 PM »

Im not sure where they are counting but I think they need a few more fingers and toes as they are for sure missing a bunch!

Leafy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:42:34 PM »

Quote from: sheepguide on April 26, 2012, 02:36:37 PM

Im not sure where they are counting but I think they need a few more fingers and toes as they are for sure missing a bunch!

Ya, no kidding hey..

pitw · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2012, 03:03:09 PM »

So Sheep, would you kill one if you had a tag?

sheepguide · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2012, 03:20:47 PM »

In a heart beat!!! A few tags in this province wouldnt hurt a thing.

pitw · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2012, 03:57:41 PM »

Interesting. A few tags would be how many?

sheepguide · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:09:20 PM »

Could easily be 1-2 tags in each of the 400 zones and the same in a good number of the 300 zones(possibly a couple 500 zones but I dont know these well). Large zones like 318 could easily have 2 tags. Harvest some of the large boars and you would probably even see a bigger increase in the popluation ( breeding boars are one of the largest causes of cub mortality) and eventually more tags could be opened.
SG

pitw · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:24:17 PM »

Quote from: sheepguide on April 26, 2012, 04:09:20 PM

Harvest some of the large boars and you would probably even see a bigger increase in the popluation ( breeding boars are one of the largest causes of cub mortality)
SG

So you are saying to shoot a few to gain a bunch?

sheepguide · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:36:06 PM »

Yes if the mature boars are harvested it could help the population increase even more allowing for even more tags, but it would take selective hunting and with one in a lifetime tags that can be very tough to accomplish. But hunting a few bears will do nothing to harm the Grizz populations and will hopefully help with the human encounters and the bears that are being destroyed due to these negative encounters.

Look at the closing of black bear baiting areas. Why are they being closed? Because of increased Grizz sightings and shootings at bait sites in these areas. Why are more bears being seen in these areas? Because populations further west are increasing and bears are being pushed into other areas to find a home territory.
SG

pitw · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:45:03 PM »

You always have some great information[I know nothing about bears or sheep for that matter], but wouldn't having more bears around cause more of the problems you originally posted?

sheepguide · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:55:54 PM »

Having bears being hunted gives them respect for humans. Right now they have no threats to them, they do what they wish, where they wish. Getting people out pursuing them will make many of them look at humans as bad and many will avoid them. And if the populations do increase it wont be at a fast rate so additional hunting oppertunities can be added to control it. But a larger hunted population with fear of humans will cause less issues than alot smaller non hunted fearless populations. Biggest thing is bears in Alberta have lost all respect for humans that they have/or would have learned or been taught by previous generations.

pitw · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:05:35 PM »

You trying to say that hunting them will make them more afraid of humans? Coyotes are hunted more every year and I notice that they still eat out of the dog dish's on quite a few peoples decks

. Not having the bears here is a great thing to me as I really don't want to have to watch out for one that has found humans to be easy fodder. On the flip side they have nothing to fear from me as I don't want or worse yet need to kill one to say I did. I'm kinda/sorta thinking that encroachment on their territory is the number 1 problem.

sheepguide · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:31:59 PM »

When you try and compare coyotes to grizz you are looking at a population that is in the tens to hundreds of thousands to a population of one thousand or less. Hunting pressure on a smaller population will have a larger affect on how they react to the threat espescially on an animal such as a bear that is typically more secretive. Another point on this is that coyote populations are over loaded and if they were reduced to a proper level the conflicts at the food dish would also decrease.
Second on the encroachment issue id say that it is a pretty minimal effect on the movement bears from the west country moving east. For one there is very minimals residences in these main population areas and minimal new developments overall in the bear managment areas. We arent seeing any decrease from bears moving out (most regular users of the west country are seeing an increase in grizz populations), we are mainly seeing just a larger demographic that these poulations are covering.

Just remember these are just my personal thoughts and ideas.

Skinnydipper · « **Reply #14 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:33:53 PM »

Quote from: sheepguide on April 26, 2012, 04:09:20 PM

Could easily be 1-2 tags in each of the 400 zones and the same in a good number of the 300 zones(possibly a couple 500 zones but I dont know these well). Large zones like 318 could easily have 2 tags. Harvest some of the large boars and you would probably even see a bigger increase in the popluation ( breeding boars are one of the largest causes of cub mortality) and eventually more tags could be opened.
SG

I suspect this could easily be the harvest number with the tag number slightly higher to allow more opportunity since success rate is relatively low.

sheepguide · « **Reply #15 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:40:57 PM »

Yes that is true Skinny. Was actually thinking more of harvest numbers when i stated 1 -2 so should have worked with higher numbers to count for harvest success. For sure would have to be a year to year tag number review based on harvest numbers.

nube · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2012, 08:07:10 PM »

This thread reminds me of my buddy who called me last week. He lives in Cardston and was out shooting gophers south of town and there was a grizz den with mom and 2 cubs. He says there are about 9 known bears south of Cardston right outside of town! Amazing there are so many so close to town and on the open prairie running around with gophers lol

CAN_bigbore · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2012, 10:06:23 PM »

That is crazy nube the old grizz might be returning to the prairies where they once roamed. I agree with the tags sheep. SRD better start doing a better count and get ther shit together or you will have farmers that are just gonna shoot them at will!

sheepguide · « **Reply #18 on:** April 26, 2012, 10:18:53 PM »

There are a few "Shoot, Shovel and Shut Up" bears in this area every year. SRD is pretty much a joke on most of these issues. Populations are down they say but yet each year many animals that are protected or on a very limited quota are shot each year for being pests. So would it not make better sense to work with hunters on this issue if they are going to be shot anyways?

JIMMY 808 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2012, 10:47:18 PM »

Personaly whats the harm in leaving them alone a few chewed up tree hungers and granola munchers a year never hurt my feelings. Yes I live in bear country also have them on bc property. I would kill one in less then a hart beat if I had to.

Think that's different for a hunter to say Well I also don't mind wild horses.