Be careful out there
- Thread starter StrobeNGH
- Start date
There are bears and mountain lions all over the place down here on the indian reservation I work on. I keep wanting to take up jogging again but they wont allow me to bring a firearm out to protect myself so here I sit!
That is unfortunate that people got in the way of wildlife and ended up dead...That is a horrifying way to die!
That is unfortunate that people got in the way of wildlife and ended up dead...That is a horrifying way to die!
Bears and Mountain Lions have becoming a real problem in N. Utah as of late . . .
About 5 years ago we had a cougar stalk a woman up by our property . . . she was walking around her car, waiting for her husband to come back from a hike.
20 years ago it was a rarity to see signs of bears at our cabin. Now, you can see marks or scat on a regular basis.
It isn't a good idea to go into the woods without some sort of protection any more (bells, spray, gun, etc . . .).
We aren't allowed to hunt/control them, so the problem is going to get worse.
I hope that people take more precautions out there, so that this doesn't happen again.
About 5 years ago we had a cougar stalk a woman up by our property . . . she was walking around her car, waiting for her husband to come back from a hike.
20 years ago it was a rarity to see signs of bears at our cabin. Now, you can see marks or scat on a regular basis.
It isn't a good idea to go into the woods without some sort of protection any more (bells, spray, gun, etc . . .).
We aren't allowed to hunt/control them, so the problem is going to get worse.
I hope that people take more precautions out there, so that this doesn't happen again.
Floppy Hat
mbryson's hairdresser
- Location
- Lehi, Ut.
The state issued over 500 cougar permits this past season and over 200 black bear permits this year. The hunting does take place, but it is seldom in "summer home areas".
I think the number of bear incidents in Utah this year has been a product of the less than average snowpack and spring rainfall. The lack of natural food sources has increased the bears' willingness to take risks to get food. A bear that has all the berries it can eat, would rarely take the chance of raiding a campsite. Combine the low precipitation with increased use of camping areas within a short distance of the Wasatch Front and there is bound to be a few incidents.
It is truly sad that this situation resulted in the loss of a human life. My prayers go out to this family.
Just curious as to the location of your cabin?
At ours, we usually see sign of lion when we head up for the first trip each spring, but then there's not much seen after that.
Up by Morgan.
It used to be rare to see signs of a lion . . . now it's normal to see him a few times a year.
THAT is scary.
4 years ago, in addition to the tomcat on our land, we saw signs of a female with cubs(?).
We told DWR what we saw, and they called us liars, saying that a female with young would NEVER be so close to a tomcat . . . that the only time that would EVER happen is if the population were growing "faster than it really is."
I don't think that we/DWR has an accurate idea of just how many cats (and probably bears) there really are in N. Utah.
I really wish that more permits would be issued.
On our land, there are NO permits issued for bear or lion, only chase permits . . .
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Are bears causing that big of a problem, don't get me wrong, I completely feel for the family of this 11 yr. old, but it is a VERY isolated incident in reality.
I copied this from KSL:
"Recorded killings by black bears this century total only 28 across North America. Most of these killings were unprovoked acts of predation. The 500,000 black bears of North America kill fewer than one person per 3 years, on the average, despite hundreds of thousands of encounters. For each death from a black bear across North America, there are approximately 17 deaths from spiders, 25 deaths from snakes, 67 deaths from dogs, 150 deaths from tornadoes, 180 deaths from bees and wasps, 374 deaths from lightning, and 90,000 homicides in the United States alone (data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 1980-1983)."
While I fully agree that hunting must occur to manage the populations of wildlife (prevent disease, starvation, etc). I don't think it should be exploited just in the name of "safety" that really isn't an issue.
I don't know how one can assert "they have let it get out of hand" as you have to agree that the forests are infinitely safer today then they were when we had grizzlies and wolves roaming our forests. In the early 1900's, miners in the canyon were on the lookout for wolves!
Yeah...I'm kinda having a hard time feeling bad for you on this one. You build a cabin in the wilderness then get all freaked out and afraid because the wilderness is actually where you built your cabin...? Sorry man...it sucks that you built your cabin in a place where nature exists and thrives...you should totally torch the joint and build another one out on the salt flats where all those mean animals wont come get you at night!
Leave the animals alone and they will leave you alone. You can get one of those fancy red driver's licenses that allows you to pack wherever you go so protect yourself and stop being such a damn sissy because there are wild things exactly where they are supposed to be!
Are bears causing that big of a problem, don't get me wrong, I completely feel for the family of this 11 yr. old, but it is a VERY isolated incident in reality.
I copied this from KSL:
"Recorded killings by black bears this century total only 28 across North America. Most of these killings were unprovoked acts of predation. The 500,000 black bears of North America kill fewer than one person per 3 years, on the average, despite hundreds of thousands of encounters. For each death from a black bear across North America, there are approximately 17 deaths from spiders, 25 deaths from snakes, 67 deaths from dogs, 150 deaths from tornadoes, 180 deaths from bees and wasps, 374 deaths from lightning, and 90,000 homicides in the United States alone (data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 1980-1983)."
While I fully agree that hunting must occur to manage the populations of wildlife (prevent disease, starvation, etc). I don't think it should be exploited just in the name of "safety" that really isn't an issue.
I don't know how one can assert "they have let it get out of hand" as you have to agree that the forests are infinitely safer today then they were when we had grizzlies and wolves roaming our forests. In the early 1900's, miners in the canyon were on the lookout for wolves!
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like such an alarmist . . .
I think my concerns are more towards Lions than Bears.
Bears pose a threat when they are frightened or hungry. Lions . . . well, who knows what cats will do.
My overall point is/was that the populations are growing, but the DWR doesn't think it is growing as fast as it is . . . if the ratios get out of hand, we'll start having a lot more problems.
And Wolves are evil. Good riddance
Very interesting . . . weren't you the one lamenting not being able to jog where you work b/c of the wild animals?
. . .
Last I checked, Morgan wasn't exactly a wilderness.
But, assuming that it is, I'm not going to puff my chest out and say that I'm not afraid of lions. If being worried about a burgeoning Lion population makes me a sissy . . . so be it.
Lions are unpredictable, and can pose a threat to even the most manly of men . . . you might be able to wrestle one into submission, but for sissies like me, we tend to be concerned about 200lb cats with big teeth and claws.
My concern for the animals we are seeing on our land is the knowledge of how close our land is to the Wasatch Front. If nothing happens to help check the populations of bears and lions, we will see a marked increase of the encroachment of lions/bears into the valleys.
I don't see that as being a good thing.
But I could be wrong. It's happened before.
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muleskinner
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Enoch, UT
We are all a 1000 times more likely to be killed in an auto accident, rollover on the trail, shot in a robbery/drive by, or something of that nature long before a Bear/Cougar attack. Quit worrying about it, its all hype. Every Bear and Cougar I've seen it the wild was a lot more afraid of me than I was of it!
Which is exactly the way it will stay as long as we continue to issue chase/hunting permits. Ask California what happens when you aren't allowed to pursue cats.
True, but in all fairness, it was YOU.
What guarantee do I, a sissy, have that said animals would fear my presence?
Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
No kidding, where else are they supposed to go? They've lived there for thousands of years and then people start whining and bitching when they build a house up in the wilderness. Oh sh!t, there's a bear! There's a lion! No effin kidding, it's the WILDERNESS!
Lions, they live there, you build in wilderness, expect to see nature drop in to say hi. As for wolves, which your favorite canine friend came from what's your problem with them?
I seem to recall that he wanted to job, but they wouldn't let him take his weapon with him for protection.
Well, when you live in the mountain......nevermind, already said it.
Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
What do you think SLC used to be? How do you think a lion strolling down West Temple would go over?
Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
It used to be, as you said. People out in the middle of no where is what I am referring to.
As for a lion on West Temple, I bet someone would have their gat on them and take care of business. Especially if it was near Cody's hood.
It used to be, as you said. People out in the middle of no where is what I am referring to.
Which is just what the first residents of SLC were, they killed all the bears and lions they saw and I'm sure they complained about them the entire time.
muleskinner
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Enoch, UT
True, but in all fairness, it was YOU.
What guarantee do I, a sissy, have that said animals would fear my presence?
True.. true
But in all reality, Way more people die from Bee stings.