Are Bears predators?

[Jonathan_S]

I believe they are the #1 predator of elk and deer newborns.  So, yes they are predators.

cougars and wolves would beg to differ 

Bears kill probably 300x as many fawns in this state as wolves do and there are a lot more bears than cougars.  My opinion.

[runamuk]

not even sure why this is a question.

because lots of people have very little understanding of how the term predator applies and they equate it to the idea of an obligate carnivore.  That is not the case.  A predator is anything that hunts and kills its prey and omnivores can be very predatory.  Bears wreak havoc on fawns and calves just because they target small and weak prey does not change their predatory nature.  Ferrets for example are strict carnivores yet many might not consider them predators because they dont take down many elk, only mice or gerbils.

So yes bears are predators but they are also very much like humans and will take whatever meal they can get easiest I am convinced if bears could drive they would be seen regularly at fast food joints.

[buckcanyonlodge]

Are Bears predators?

Does a bear sh*t in the woods?

[NW-GSP]

I thought their diet mainly consisted of bells and pepper spray.

[KFhunter]

Nothing kills more fawns/calves on the ground than a bear does.  Bears that learned this behavior with territory in a calving ground or fawning areas have a single minded focus to find the calves and are very successful at it. 

Coyotes do this as well,  but also get chased off. 

Wolves will go for the wet cows and run the whole freaking herd out of the calving grounds leaving all the calves to be half starved bear food. When a calf gets up out of it's hidey hole driven by hunger and calling for momma....well it don't live long.


cougar take a *lot* of yearlings