Originally Posted by
Champlain Islander
Lots of bear damage around Vermont this year. The numbers have risen probably as a result of less hunters and they are now going into suburban neighborhoods in search of easy food. I live in the only county in Vermont without bears. We are on a chain of fairly flat ag type islands with no suitable den sites.
I don't know about no suitable den sites, as its been known that many male bears don't den at all, will just law on top of ground, or under a blow down and be happy as is
NO need to dig into the ground in a cave or like hole to winter!
I am now up to 13 different bears here this yr
less than normal yrs for me, which I average about 17!, for the past 25+ yrs or so!
so, numbers might seem higher in some places, but doesn';t mean there higher every where
I think the fact human sprawl has got to the point, more folks are where bears are, we just see them more and think THERE MUST BE MORE OF THEM!
when actually, it might just be, were seeing them more due to humans are disturbing them more and well, easier food many times with so many feeding them and have poor bear awareness skills on how to keep trash and other things from attracting them to homes where there seen then!