Bears at the cabin

Jimmie and Mac related an encounter with aggressive black bears right at the cabin.
The bear or bears appear to have lost all fear of humans and will stay in the immediate area, even when shouted at.


Cabins and Residential Areas

Never leave unattended food or garbage outside.
Do not feed birds between April and November.
Do not leave pet food outside (especially overnight).
Bear-proof bee hives, compost piles, and gardens with electric or chain-link fence.
Do not leave food as bait for any animals or leave food scraps on the ground.
If a bear approaches, move your family and any food indoors immediately.

Bear Encounters

Although black bears rarely attack, they are powerful animals and are capable of injuring or killing humans. These steps may be helpful if you encounter a bear.

If you see a bear in the distance, make a wide detour or leave the area.
Do not feed or toss food to a bear, or any other wild animal.
Pick up children or put them on your shoulders.
Never approach bears - they are dangerous wild animals. If a bear changes its natural behavior because of your presence, you are too close.
Give a bear plenty of room to pass, and it usually will.

If a bear approaches you:

Don't run.
Drop your backpack and then,
Back away slowly.
Face the bear, but don't look directly into its eyes.
Keep it in sight.
Make yourself look bigger by waving your arms and yelling.
Make lots of noise and stomp your feet.
Remember, you can't outrun a black bear. They are extremely fast on the ground or climbing a tree. Warning signs of an attack include: a steady glare; ears laid back; smacking of the jaws and stomping of the front feet.

If the bear attacks, fight back with anything available. Act aggressively. Throwing rocks or hitting a bear with large sticks has been effective some cases.

f you're home when a black bear enters your property, there are lots of things you can do to deter it from coming closer or staying. Do not attempt to deter a grizzly (brown) bear on your own - call for help!

The most important tool we have at our disposal is our own human presence, particularly the use of direct eye contact and a take charge ATTITUDE! First ensure that the bear has a clear and safe avenue of escape with no people or obstacles in its way. Look directly at the bear, facing it and standing tall. Yell at the bear and firmly tell it to leave! "Get out of here, bear!" Keep a can of pepper spray in hand (with the safety removed) in case the bear approaches you too close. Or gather a group of people together - the more people, the more intimidating you will appear to the bear - simply out number it.

You may use any of the tools noted below in order to appear even more intimidating to the bear.....

Stones aimed at the bear's rump - never throw stones directly in the bear's face. Stones should not be larger than a golf ball.

A soup can filled with pebbles and taped shut. Shake it vigorously and then, perhaps throw it beside the bear. These work particularly well in areas where bears may already encounter rattle snakes.

Big huge beach balls can be tossed at bears often times scaring the heck out of them, opening and closing an umbrella, shaking a big plastic (colored) tarp or a big plastic garbage bag, or banging pots and pans can work as well.

Varying your technique each time a bear attempts to return works better than always just banging pots and pans or sounding an air horn. Bears catch on quickly if everyone does the same thing, get used to it and soon ignore it.
Keep a baseball bat handy to beat on trees. If a bear climbs up a tree to escape, yell at them and beat the base of the tree. Keep them up there for a while, smacking the tree and telling them off. It really scares them. After they've been picked on long enough go back inside your home, let them come down and watch them tear off.

These techniques have been provided courtesy of Ann Bryant of the Lake Tahoe BEAR League.

I suggest carrying a large caliber pistol (at least .357 class) with you and have your hunting rifle within reach.

Remember bear season is November 24-January 3.

The latest Forest Service Proposed Actions

Laurel Run CE
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
Description: Wildlife Openings on approximately 11 acres
Location: UNIT - Lee Ranger District. STATE - Virginia. COUNTY - Shenandoah. Lee Ranger District; Shenandoah County, Virginia; Great North Mtn.

In Progress:
Scoping 02/24/2005 Start 06/2008 Expected:12/2008

Contact:
Holden Mason
540-984-4101
hmason@fs.fed.us

Laurel Run/Road Timber Sale EA
Description: Proposal to harvest about 484 acres in 22 cutting units
Location: UNIT - Lee Ranger District. STATE - Virginia. COUNTY - Shenandoah. Sideslopes of Great North Mt, Sine Mt, Middle Mt, and Fat Mt.
Actual: 04/11/2008 Expected Implementation: 05/2009

Contact:
Holden Mason
540-984-4101
hmason@fs.fed.us

Outhouse at the cabin

Thursday I had an outhouse delivered to the cabin from Valley Portable Toilets.
They already had a unit intalled at the Hotel California's campsite.
At the spring meeting, it was decided to get a portajohn for the fall hunting season to reduce the waste load on the existing outhouse.
The cost for a basic unit, serviced weekly, is $78/month.
We will put a combination lock on the gate to allow them weekly access.