Might Have Bear Problem

georgel

georgel

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So, this afternoon my daughter discovers one of the chickens is dead. It looks like it was ripped open. I go down and find the enclosure has been moved, rotated by almost 90*. This is a temporary enclosure that is made from 6x10 chainlink kennel panels. It's 10x10 with two panels on top to provide full enclosure. One panel has a door. Upon further inspection, at the base of one of the panels it looks like that's where the chicken was attacked through the chainlink and something tried to pull it through the fencing. The chainlink is deformed like if you took a pry bar to it. I'll try to post a pic. My wife and other have suggested a fox or racoon, but the chain link is deformed and the entire enclosure, 6 total panels of weight was moved. I don't think foxes or racoons have that kind of strength. Or even coyote for that matter.
Just went out and tested the shotgun with slugs. Although, the .308 should be sufficient. ;)
 
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It may be a big dog. Pour out a couple of bags of cheap play sand around where you think the critter is getting at the chickens. Hopefully you will get a track of the varmint and at least know what you are dealing with. By law you can shoot any animal that is causing damage or killing livestock but you cannot possess the carcass without a permit. In other words you can kill a bear in the act of depredation but you cannot possess the carcass. If caught it will be a $2,000 replacement cost for a bear (same for shooting out of season). Shoot and call the NCWRC Biologist for your area and you will be fine. Best to call him now so that you are covered. Bears are a valuable resource and people pay a lot of money to hunt them.
 
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Downeast said:
It may be a big dog. Pour out a couple of bags of cheap play sand around where you think the critter is getting at the chickens. Hopefully you will get a track of the varmint and at least know what you are dealing with. By law you can shoot any animal that is causing damage or killing livestock but you cannot possess the carcass without a permit. In other words you can kill a bear in the act of depredation but you cannot possess the carcass. If caught it will be a $2,000 replacement cost for a bear (same for shooting out of season). Shoot and call the NCWRC Biologist for your area and you will be fine. Best to call him now so that you are covered. Bears are a valuable resource and people pay a lot of money to hunt them.
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Dang, and I told the wife I was getting her a new coat. :D

Thanks for the info. I was pretty sure you could protect livestock without a problem. BTW, I'm just across the border into SC. I was going to call the appropriate wildlife officials in the morning.
It would have to be a pretty big dog to mangle the fence like that. I have a full sized dog that stays outside. Apparently he missed the action.

Tailhunter said:
A 45/70 will reverse puppet sock a Chupacabra.
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I've been looking for a reason to by a 45-70. ;)
 
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tod0987 said:
Georgel,

Sounds like one. I have a friend who is a NCWRC biologist that deals with these situations quite often along with deer depredation and annoying alligators removal to name a few. I'm not sure how good SC is but I would think SC has a wildlife biologist that can help you, evaluate the situation, and remove it if needed. Like others said if you take it down have a good story, stick to it and call the game wardens. They'll come and confiscate it and take your statement. Scuttlebutt of so and so shot a bear gets around very quick and they have an ear out for that stuff, you'd be surprised who the wardens are friends with. Oh and don't cut any claws, teeth or mutilate it an any kind before they come. The black bear black market is no joke and here in NC they take it seriously at least. You don't want to give the wardens any ideas other than self protection.

On a side note very few would believe the number of bears living in urban Asheville, its amazing. NCWRC has been doing a big study for years on their interaction with the urban public and their breeding/life.
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In the little town of Linville the LGS guy leases 150 acres to hunt just outside the town limits. He put up game cams last year and has pictures of 167 different bears! That's just in one spot! I've got them all around my cabin! They tear the crap outta the trees right next to the porch. I've told my dad to be careful when he goes outside to take a leak in the middle of the night!
 
Hammer21b said:
In the little town of Linville the LGS guy leases 150 acres to hunt just outside the town limits. He put up game cams last year and has pictures of 167 different bears! That's just in one spot! I've got them all around my cabin! They tear the crap outta the trees right next to the porch. I've told my dad to be careful when he goes outside to take a leak in the middle of the night!
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I don't doubt that at all and they say the coastal plain of NC has even more than the mountains. If you have facebook and want to see some awesome pictures look up Dare to Hyde Adventures and check out all the bears in the wheat fields. Like flies on crap. I was in awe.
 
Yeah, I think of Black Bear as big dogs. Opportunistic, just looking for food, but with the potential for harm just because of their equipment and size. I have no animosity toward them, well until they start hurting livestock. The barn/enclosure is about 150yds. down the driveway. I have a goat down there too, that I'm a little worried about.
 
Hammer21b said:
You're a man! You don't need a reason to buy a 45/70! She can't stay mad forever!
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Actually, the wife is not a problem. She understands the need for guns and ammo. A 45-70 has been on the list for a while. Just haven't gotten to it yet. It's more of a funding issue at the moment. I need to buy a front end loader for the tractor and a trailer and a saw mill, etc. I'd love to find on old Ruger No. 1 in 45-70 when the time comes.
 
georgel said:
Actually, the wife is not a problem. She understands the need for guns and ammo. A 45-70 has been on the list for a while. Just haven't gotten to it yet. It's more of a funding issue at the moment. I need to buy a front end loader for the tractor and a trailer and a saw mill, etc. I'd love to find on old Ruger No. 1 in 45-70 when the time comes.
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I've got all but the 45/70. But I've also got a .50 cal Beowulf so said 45/70 is not needed. My wife thinks if I have a gun, that's all I need, I think if you know how many you have, you don't have enough!
 
georgel said:
Actually, the wife is not a problem. She understands the need for guns and ammo. A 45-70 has been on the list for a while. Just haven't gotten to it yet. It's more of a funding issue at the moment. I need to buy a front end loader for the tractor and a trailer and a saw mill, etc. I'd love to find on old Ruger No. 1 in 45-70 when the time comes.
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If you don't mind a single shot the new England firearms handi rifle in 45/70 are nice budget guns , if you can find one on the used market, it's extremely accurate, and won't break the bank,
 
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image1.JPG This is right off the porch of my cabin in East Tennessee near Hampton.
 
Leave the bear a note on the enclosure and advise him/her that if it occurs again that you'll take more drastic measures. Maybe even go as far as drawing a picture of a 45-70 cartridge so he understands....
 
Bailey Boat said:
Leave the bear a note on the enclosure and advise him/her that if it occurs again that you'll take more drastic measures. Maybe even go as far as drawing a picture of a 45-70 cartridge so he understands....
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I'll leave a picture of a rug! He might understand that! The bears we have are problem bears that have been moved from other areas to ours! And there's a lot of them. A neighbor down the road a mile or so had a small pond on his property that he stocked with trout fry. He came in one evening and 2 bears were in the pond, cleaning it out! He knocked a hole in the dam and drained the pond. He told me he didn't want the bears around. We usually see at least one every time we go up.
 
Problem solved:

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Send some bears up to my place in West Jefferson. I have not picked up any on my game cameras yet. I really need some local bear pics to justify a new rifle. 45/70 lever action seems about perfect. Saw some t-shirts once that had a picture of a lever action and said 45/70 is all the Gov't I need. :D
 
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You're just the other side of the county. Maybe we should become friends. I've always wanted a bear skin rug. If only I still had my 458socom....

I do have a 44mag Marlin lever gun tho....
 
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dubnali said:
You're just the other side of the county. Maybe we should become friends. I've always wanted a bear skin rug. If only I still had my 458socom....

I do have a 44mag Marlin lever gun tho....
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No! Stop that nonsense. I too have a 44 mag, but as far as wives are concerend it is not enough to stop a bear. Gotta have a 45/70 or maybe a 450. :p
 
A friend of mine was out hunting bear and what comes running by but a bear.

Boom!

Bear drops. He stands over it admiring his new rug. He notices a blood trail that went beyond where the bear was when he shot it.

Sure enough after a little bit, along came a father and son following the blood trail. The son had shot the bear several times with a lever action .44 Mag. The first hit would have killed the bear - eventually. Sometime.

He let the kid have the bear. He let the father have a lecture about using enough gun. As he related the story, he was "frank and direct," with the father.
 
Howland said:
A friend of mine was out hunting bear and what comes running by but a bear.

Boom!

Bear drops. He stands over it admiring his new rug. He notices a blood trail that went beyond where the bear was when he shot it.

Sure enough after a little bit, along came a father and son following the blood trail. The son had shot the bear several times with a lever action .44 Mag. The first hit would have killed the bear - eventually. Sometime.

He let the kid have the bear. He let the father have a lecture about using enough gun. As he related the story, he was "frank and direct," with the father.
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What was your friend shooting?
 
georgel said:
What was your friend shooting?
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I don't recall other than it was a rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge. If I had to guess, it was .308 or .30-06. It may have been .30-30, but I would guess that to be the low end.
 
Tailhunter said:
Nothing wrong with a .44mag on black bear.
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I was going to say, with the proper loads, it should be good to go. I was looking at heavy .45 Colt loads 300gr. +, for a levergun.

Meant to ask, did you cast these? What are they, about 375gr. with a gas check?
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The saga continues...
Tonight I came home and did a cursory check on the chickens. One side of the kennel was partially caved, but about 2 ft. like something heavy got on top of it. The top is connected to two other panels forming a closed top.
Department of Natural Resources wants hard proof, photos, claw marks, etc. before getting involved. Right now I just have the damage, do it could be Bigfoot or a fat chupacabra.
 
georgel said:
The saga continues...
Tonight I came home and did a cursory check on the chickens. One side of the kennel was partially caved, but about 2 ft. like something heavy got on top of it. The top is connected to two other panels forming a closed top.
Department of Natural Resources wants hard proof, photos, claw marks, etc. before getting involved. Right now I just have the damage, do it could be Bigfoot or a fat chupacabra.
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45-70 will work on Bigfoot too, and they aren't protected by some silly law as far as I know.
 
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georgel said:
The saga continues...
Tonight I came home and did a cursory check on the chickens. One side of the kennel was partially caved, but about 2 ft. like something heavy got on top of it. The top is connected to two other panels forming a closed top.
Department of Natural Resources wants hard proof, photos, claw marks, etc. before getting involved. Right now I just have the damage, do it could be Bigfoot or a fat chupacabra.
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Time for a trail cam?
 
georgel said:
Put one out today, but I didn't have time to find tune the image. I might end up with a bunch of chicken pics.
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You WILL post the pics if and when you get them, right?
 
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