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Photographing Black Bears
... is probably best done using a telephoto lens and not your cell phone camera. "WEST MILFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — A New Jersey hiker killed by a bear in September took a series of photos of the animal with his cellphone before it mauled him to death." http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/11/26/ … illed-him/ Nov 26 14 01:34 pm Link Scary stuff, I guess we're fortunate to not have any bears in the U.K, the only scary things around here are some of the woman. Nov 26 14 02:58 pm Link A couple of months ago my wife and I came across two bears while hiking in Sequoia National Park. We were about thirty yards away when we first saw them. They were just around a sharp bend on the trail. We respectfully backed away. I wasn't too worried, however. I can out run my wife. I did take a few pictures after we backed off. Nov 26 14 03:02 pm Link Blacks rarely kill. I'd rather deal with 3 of them, than 1 grizz or brown. Hell, I already have. Nov 26 14 03:15 pm Link Cherrystone wrote: Actually I think the stats are the exact reverse. (but correct me if I am wrong) Nov 26 14 04:10 pm Link Not saying this is the case here, but... Most animal/human confrontations that go bad are usually the fault of the human. There are signs all over the Rockies, "Feed a bear, kill a bear". Simply meaning that over habituation will usually end with some negative encounter and then the rangers will eliminate the animal. Usual the wrong perp in my opinion. Nov 26 14 04:20 pm Link I have encountered many black bears in several states while hiking, hunting or working. Never once, during the daylight did they hang around, once they knew of my presence. I have never been near a cub, which is a very dangerous thing to do. However, I did something stupid once, when I chased some in the Shenandoah for some pictures. Later that night, there were several bears in our camp. My wife knew they were out there. I slept through it. The key was to not give them any reason to enter out tent. All food and anything that smelled like food (toothpaste) was very high in a tree on a very small branch. A must do when camping in bear country. The problem with bears in populated areas, is their contact with humans. The more contact, the less fear, and yet, the greater they perceive a threat. A bear that was recently killed in this area was necropsied and was found to have many wounds inflicted by humans trying to scare it away. It had been shot with bird shot and an arrow, and hit by a car, all of which made the animal much more dangerous and cause it to suffer. Of course, New Jersey bears, can be mobbed up, as well. A cub was found dead in Central Park. The circumstances are suspicious and being investigated. http://www.thereporteronline.com/living … and-humans http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/nyreg … .html?_r=0 Nov 26 14 07:13 pm Link Friday Art Photography wrote: Almost identical to an encounter I and my GF had in the Blue Ridge Mountains in VA. We were hiking a trail when a black bear darted across the trail in front of us. We backed out to safety. I feared the bear might follow us, but it didn't. Nov 26 14 07:44 pm Link I don't like bears Nov 26 14 09:20 pm Link I camp in an area where there are bears but I haven't seen one. Nov 26 14 11:37 pm Link My understanding is that you shouldn't try and outrun a bear. They'll just chase you down with their infinitely faster speed. That guy was in a group and everyone ran away. They should have all stayed together and used loud noises instead of fleeing. This from my limited knowledge of hunting. I have come across quite a few sharks and the best thing you could do is make yourself big while slowly backing away. The moment you start fleeing is the moment you become a prey. Nov 27 14 03:58 am Link Black bears ARE more timid than grizzlies. I wonder if this particular bear might have been sick or wounded. Here's a good article describing both brown and black bears- http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pages/ … bears.html Nov 27 14 05:58 am Link I'm old enough I remember when the National Park Service didn't care if you fed the bears. Somewhere that all changed in the late 50's or early 60's. Took a few years to get that fear of humans instilled back into them. Very odd to have the the mom and cubs walk up to you looking for handouts as though they were domesticated. Now they seem to attack instead, like some feral cats around here that want to hold their ground and not run. Nov 27 14 08:11 am Link Encounters with black bears, generally do not go badly, unless there is food involved. However, there are a small number of attacks on humans every year, in the U.S. and Canada. They are formidable creatures, and should be respected as dangerous animals. This was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and not taking the right actions, to avoid injury. Nov 27 14 08:50 am Link As someone that photographs bears big and small I highly recommend big glass and one or the other of these in your kit. So far I've never need either but you just never know. Nov 27 14 09:07 am Link Lightcraft Studio wrote: Reminds me of Nov 27 14 09:44 am Link Nov 27 14 09:46 am Link Marky wrote: HAHAHAHA Nov 27 14 12:11 pm Link |