black bears - this is why I still have my .44 magnum

[Patocazador]

Cee Zee wrote: "I don't care if you believe it or not. I know it's true. They didn't publicize it because they didn't want people to know about it. They knew there would be a strong backlash from farmers who didn't want dead calves feeding bears. But again my farm is less than a mile from that park."

The latest figures I could find from Kentucky stated that there were fewer than 500 bears in the whole state.
Get facts and then speak.

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1656/045.020.0206

http://www.kentuckyangling.com/magazine/2011/06/kentucky-bear-populations-healthy-expanding/

 

[Cee Zee]

Pretty sure that same exact line has been used to justify many a dubious story with absolutely nothing else that backs it throughout the years

I guess you missed where I provided evidence that the state was engaged in reintroducing bears in another part of Kentucky. The reason I said I didn't care if they believed the story or not is that I provided a current news report about a growing bear population. The point about the state being involved was secondary to that story. But still I did provide proof that the state was involved in a similar activity in another part of the state which BTW isn't that far from where my farm is.

I really don't care if you buy it or not. It doesn't matter to me one bit. I'm not here to satisfy nit pickers. Just like those who minimize the relevance of the story you have missed the point. I've seen hundreds of bear signs and a dozen bears myself. And I've heard them 50 times or more. Maybe some think that isn't cause to be aware, not scared - no one suggested any kind of fear - then we have differing opinions and I'm not going to provide you with a flame war for your entertainment.

Get facts and then speak.

"Dobey estimated Kentucky has less than 500 black bears – far fewer than the populations in its neighboring southern Appalachian states"

That is a ridiculously low number for starters. There are bear sightings in Richmond and throughout other areas of the bluegrass meaning they have such a large population in the mountains that they have expanded their range into areas far more populated. Plus that is an old estimate. Plus there are far more bears in neighboring states meaning the state a very short distance from my farm known as West Virginia. It would be a staggering phenomenon of nature to see bears in great populations in areas totally surrounding eastern KY while having but a few in the state despite having habitat suitable to them in great abundance. In short I see all sorts of claims by so called experts that I don't believe. At any rate the story is again that bear populations are growing.

 

[TarDevil]

Los Anchorage - good one. Anchorage has 300,000 residents. To find a city that big where my house is you would have to drive 100 miles or more.

Not sure what you point is.

Charlotte, NC has over 792,000 residents and bear sightings aren't that uncommon.

They're all over the place here on the east coast. Sightings are common where I live... just outside city limits.

 

[Davek1977]

I guess you missed where I provided evidence that the state was engaged in reintroducing bears in another part of Kentucky.

I missed nothing. Evidence of stocking in one location certainly is not evidence of stocking in another location. I didn't think that needed to be pointed out. If I park my car in Los Angeles, its considerably different than if I parked it in NYC. What happens in one location doesn't mean it happens in another, and is hardly evidence of such. I'm not sure why you think that evidence of bears being reintroduced in one location proves they were introduced in your area. The premise doesn't make sense. Again, I hear "stories" about these "undercover" reintroductions...regarding various species from black footed ferrets to timber wolves, supposedly done by state agencies secretly wanting to reintrodce species for whatever concieveable reason, but evidence of such is sorely lacking in each and every case, despite reassurances abound of "I dont NEED evidence...I KNOW its true, cuz I DO!!!" I'm sure you can understand why people may have some doubts.

 

[TimSr]

Restocking or transplanting 500 of any large animal, anywhere, for the purpose of reintroduction is totally unbelieveable. 5, 10, or even 20 I might believe. Especially with an animal whose natural population density is drasticly less than the number you are stocking with. The idea that some state fish and game agency actually has 500 black bears in their custody is just as ridiculous.

 

[H&Hhunter]

While this has been entertaining to say the least. It's a lost cause. Killer bobcats, packs of ravenous BBQ hungry bears and massive relocations of deadly omnivorous to state parks, while exciting, are the stuff of a bad Star Trek episode they are not High Road material...