When you see a Black Bear in your yard,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,do not panic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Bears are here to stay Despite news reports of recent attacks, black bears in Mass. are reclusive By Kay Fitzpatrick, Correspondent Posted: 08/13/2010 07:34:01 AM EDT PEPPERELL/TOWNSEND -- A recent news story about three people mauled by a grizzly bear in Montana, and a Pepperell man whose backyard camera caught a large black bear in his Chestnut Street yard, have people wondering about the prevalence of bears in north-central Massachusetts towns. The short answer is: Bears are everywhere around here. That does not mean people should lock up their pets and children. There are no grizzly bears in New England, which is populated only with shy reclusive black bears, who are typically fearful of humans despite the animal's strength and size. Black bears have made a surprising comeback in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Division of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates that due to legal protections and forest growth, their numbers have grown from about 100 in the 1970s to approximately 3,000 today. According to Mary Letourneau, animal control officer for Townsend and Ashby, bear sightings in those towns average two per week during the spring months. "There is a heavy population of black bears in the area," said Letourneau. "We get calls from all over Townsend and Ashby from people who see bears in their yards." This past winter, relatively mild for the area, proved a boon to bears. For the first time, wildlife experts were able to identify a winter hibernation den sheltering a mother and cubs in Townsend. "We are tracking several sow bears and their families, and this year there are lots of triplet cubs, which indicates a high winter survival rate and thriving population," said Letourneau. Although male black bears can grow to be as large as 600 pounds, in Massachusetts the average size of male bears is 230 pounds and females, 140 pounds. Bears have an especially sensitive sense of smell and keen hearing. That makes it unlikely to encounter a bear in the woods because they're apt to sense a human's presence long before a human notices a bear. Being excellent climbers, bears often relax in treetops and hide their young there. If you ever meet a bear in the woods, make lots of noise to scare the animal and back away. Black bears easily become habituated to humans, and this can make them a nuisance when they associate people with food. People often unwittingly feed bears by putting out bird feeders, unsecured trash or leave food scraps on barbecue grills left outside. These food sources can attract bears to backyards where they can wreak havoc. Bill Biswanger, who writes a "Field and Stream" column and is past president of the Townsend Rod and Gun Club, has some interesting bear stories. "A bear in the Pierce Road area was determined to get to a bird feeder hanging from a house gutter," said Biswanger. "The animal began climbing up the water spout but about halfway (up), lost its grip, and slid down the side of the house, raking the walls with its claws the whole way down." Another Townsend resident was dismayed to find her iron birdfeeder pole toppled over several mornings in a row. She would straighten it back up only to have it bent out of shape again, and attributed the vandalism to mischievous teens. On the fifth morning, she looked out her window to see the pole still upright. She stepped out onto her back porch to eat an apple, and then realized she was face to face with a bear who was only 20 feet away, intently looking at her. "She tossed the apple to the bear, who happily took the treat and ambled back into the woods," said Biswanger. Wildlife and Fisheries recommends that people bring in bird feeders by April since birds don't need supplemental feed from spring to fall. For those who want to attract birds, a bird house or bath is a better alternative to feeders. This summer a bear was struck by a car on Route 119 near North Middlesex High School in Townsend. It was crossing the road during daylight hours when the motorist grazed the animal. "The bear tumbled head-over-heels, but was all right and ran into the woods," say Biswanger. The driver was unhurt but shaken up. The car sustained no damage. Wildlife experts agree that humans should not interfere with bears. "If you see a bear in the yard, there is no reason to worry. Most likely the animal is just passing through and will disappear back into forest," said Biswanger. Timberlee Park residents were recently treated to a bear sighting in their neighborhood when a 150-pound bear took a leisurely three-hour stroll through the neighborhood, starting at Ponderosa Drive, then down to Ash Street, and then into the woods. Letourneau notes that it is not necessary to call the police every time a bear is sighted. As animal-control officer, she has no jurisdiction over big-game animals. She can determine if there is a problem with a bear, and then can call the Massachusetts Environmental Police for assistance. This situation happened last year, when a Townsend resident found a bear cub and brought it home. "Don't ever interfere with bear cubs," said Letourneau. "The mother bear is somewhere nearby, probably looking for food. Sometimes cubs wander away from where their mothers hide them, but the mother will return and find her cub soon." Letourneau put the cub in a dog crate, and placed it in a play pen baited with strawberries and doughnuts to lure the mother, who quickly returned to retrieve her errant offspring. If you spot a bear in your neighborhood, first check to make sure pets and children are inside. Call your neighbors to warn them. Most likely, the bear will disappear quickly. You can scare them away by making loud noises in the house, such as banging pots and pans, or by placing a blaring radio in the window. An ordinary whistle is also effective since the high-pitched noise irritates a bear's sensitive hearing. There are two bear hunting seasons in Massachusetts, in September and November. In 2008, 100 bears were harvested in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester counties. Biswanger said that a Townsend hunter got a bear that year too.