pics from Fall Bear Hike in Perins SWA

Bear Smart Durango led a hike in fall bear habitat on Sat. Oct. 3rd, where we saw sign of bears including acorn and chokecherry scat, older scat from earlier in the bear season, tracks, claw marks on pine and aspen trees, bear trails and more. Some of the tracks and scat were very recent.

A rubbing post with bear hair and bite and claw marks began the sign of bear activity. The wind conditions were perfect for all to survive the bear pepper spray talk and demonstration as well. (click on photos for larger versions).

Part of the group stands next to a bunch of bear tracks in the wash, some of the tracks being very recent.

Group photos alongside the bear tracks in the wash.

Fresh bear scat consisting of mainly chokecherries. Notice the purplish color and the telltale round buckshot-sized seeds.

 
Looking at older bear claw marks on aspen trees.

We all learned a bit more on how black bears live in the wild. The host much enjoyed the great company and extends a very special thanks to all for your enthusiasm, good spirits and tales - and for sharing a really nice morning in the woods.

p.s. for those of you on the hike, here is a photo of elk chew marks on aspen from last spring for comparison.

To see more photo examples of bear sign from our area visit here on our facebook page.

Fall Bear Hike Oct. 3

Join Bear Smart Durango on Saturday, October 3, from 10:00 – 11:45 a.m. in Perins Peak SWA for a hike in fall bear country with director Bryan Peterson. The hike is easy to moderate, but involves some bushwhacking thru oakbrush. 

We will hopefully see sign of bears and attendees should leave with a better understanding of how black bears live in the wild. There will also be a brief talk and demonstration on using bear pepper spray.

Registration is required and space is limited. Long pants and Colorado Division of Wildlife habitat stamps are suggested. Members are free/$10 non-members. For complete information and directions, visit the blog at www.bearsmartdurango.org. Email bp@frontier.net or call 749-4262 to reserve a spot.

 

• Fall Bear Hike with Bear Smart Durango

• Saturday, October 3 from 10:00 – 11:45 a.m. 

• Perins Peak SWA. Meet at the gravel parking lot (click on map above) at the junction of CR 207 (Lightner Creek) and CR 208 (Dry Fork Rd). Lightner Creek Rd is a few miles west of Durango, past Wildcat Canyon Rd  towards Mancos.

•Please be prompt.

• Please: no dogs, or food in daypacks. 

Bears, Beer & Live Music!!!

As part of the 7^th Annual Be Bear Smart Week, Bear Smart Durango hosts an evening slideshow presentation titled “The Tangled Fates of Bears and Humans: the roles bears and people play in sharing the same world’ by retired Alaska Department of Fish and Game bear biologist John Hechtel.

• Thurs. Sept. 3 at 7 PM

• Smiley Theater

Doors open at 6:15 PM with free Ska beer courtesy of Ska Brewing Company and Wildcat Canyon Liquors, and live music by Cheryl & Tim.

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for kids and students, with admission to benefit Bear Smart Durango.

This event was made possible with the generous support of The Durango Herald, Bank of the San Juans, The Smiley Building, Cheryl & Tim, Ska Brewing Company and Wildcat Canyon Liquors.

For more information about this event, contact Bryan Peterson at bp@frontier.net or 749-4262.

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About John Hechtel: John retired from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game after a 28 year career there. He has worked in Alaska and Yukon Territory on the research and management of grizzly and black bears for nearly 30 years. His  main interests involve bear behavior, bear safety, bear attacks, bear viewing, reducing bear/human conflicts and bear conservation.

John lectures on bears and conducts bear safety and bear management training courses for the public and industry, as well as for state and federal agencies. He teaches classes in non-lethal bear management techniques for hazing and aversive conditioning bears as well.

He served 6 years on the Council of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA), the professional association of biologists working on the conservation of the world's 8 bear species and is now a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Bear Specialist group’s Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team. He is also a founding member of the non-profit Safety in Bear Country Society.

Bear Smart Slideshow Presentation

Beer and bears! What could be better? Grab a beer and some grub and watch a fabulous summary of the local bear issue.

Bear Smart Durango will host a slideshow presentation titled "No thanks. I already ate. Bear-human conflict in the Durango area" from 6 to 7 PM, Thursday, June 25 in the back bar at Carvers. This presentation by staff/director Bryan Peterson features photos from the 2007 & 2008 local bear seasons and discusses wild and "urban" bears, bear foods, area bear-human conflict issues and solutions from other communities.

Food & drinks will be available at a cash bar. There is a $5 suggested donation, that goes to the organization. This event is sponsored by Twin Buttes, LLC. 

WHAT: Bear Smart Slideshow Presentation

WHEN: TH, June 25 from 6-7 PM

WHERE: Back bar, Carver Brewing Co, 1022 Main Ave.

Non-hunter bear mortality for Area 15

The graphs above show Non-hunter bear mortality (bears killed outside of hunting) in our area, Area 15 of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The DOW records bear information in DAU's (Data Analysis Units) for tracking hunting and non-hunting mortality. It's a little difficult to say what comprises "our area" as La Plata County is made up of two different DAU's. So all numbers reflect Area 15, although most incidents occurred in the greater Durango area.

Non-hunter bear mortality includes: bears killed by wildlife officials as nuisance or conflict bears, shot by landowner, hit by vehicle, electrocuted, and any found mortality.

The results of bad natural bear food seasons are easily identified. The drought seasons of 2001 and 2002 and the massive food failure resulting from late frosts in 2007. (Data courtesy: Colorado Division of Wildlife).

books & bears fundraiser at The Mail Room

Looking for the perfect gift for kids or teachers? The Mail Room is taking part in a fundraiser for Bear Smart Durango. Located at 10 Town Plaza, The Mail Room is selling a children's book, "We Are Bears," by authors Molly Grooms and Lucia Guarnotta, as well as adorable stuffed animals called Barney Bears.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Bear Smart Durango, allowing the organization to continue working to reduce bear and human conflict in our area. For more information, call the Mail Room.

The Mail Room

10 Town Plaza (next to Kroegers)

(970) 385-4494

2008 bear & human conflict maps

These maps (click to enlarge) were created from data collected in 2008 by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Bear Smart Durango and the City of Durango's Refuse Enforcement Officer. GIS maps were generously provided by Rob Bergstrom with the La Plata County GIS Department. Thank you so much Rob for your expertise and assistance.  Data was compiled and entered into Excel by Bear Smart Durango.

Data includes bear sightings (bear(s) seen) and incidents (bears in trash, in human foods, broke into homes, etc.) in the city and county. It does not include bear management or non-hunter bear mortality data, (euthanization, capture and relocation, predation or bear-vehicle mortality). Absent from maps this year are calls to the Herald Bear Tracker, as those records were not preserved. That has been remedied.

There were 228 total reports, down from 1,271 in 2007. Of the 228 reports, 132 were in the city and 96 in the county. 121 (or 53%) were directly trash-related.

Acknowledgements: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Bear Smart Durango, City of Durango and La Plata County.

Note: These maps are for visual representation only and care must be taken in analyzing and interpreting the information contained.