Now there is one in Bellevue? this is getting ridiculous !

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Heard on the news tonight they are trying to trap one in Belleview now !
They said that makes 5 bears in towns this week.
Only 4-5 reported harvested on this site so far all season.....
We really need to get busy !!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

http://www.nwcn.com/news/washington/Bellevue-bear-eludes-capture-94542809.html

by KING5.com staff

NWCN.com

Posted on May 20, 2010 at 5:28 PM

Updated yesterday at 6:08 PM

Related:
•Wildlife agents capture wayward bear in Tacoma
•Karelian Bear Dogs key to catching urban bears, but get no state funding

BELLEVUE - A startled Bellevue homeowner called police when he found a bear on his doorstep Thursday.

When Department of Fish and Wildlife officers arrived at the home in the Somerset neighborhood the 80-pound black bear was perched casually in a nearby fir tree.

Officers said it's about two years old and hungry for sweets after hibernating all winter.

Sergeant Kim Chandler said "Mom kicks him out, they have to find their own spot. This is not really the spot where we want him to be."

Nearby neighbor Michael Hedges said the bear got away before the officers could get the tranquilizing drugs together. He added that he is keeping his children inside.

The bear has been seen in the neighborhood for about a week.

Officers decided to set a trap with dough nuts as bait.

In the past week  there have been at least five bear sightings in Western Washington neighborhoods. One black bear was captured in a Tacoma neighborhood on Wednesday.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds people to never intentionally feed bears or other wild animals.

Also keep garbage cans in a garage or other secure area, remove pet food from outside locations, and take down birdfeeders until later in the summer.

The Department has a website with more information on black bears and how to avoid encounters: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/bears.htm.

[Airnip]

This news article includes pictures of a nice looking bear climbing over a six foot wood fence in Gig Harbor yesterday. Coming and going to the backyard "bird" feeder. There is another related article in the News Tribune that claims that since this isn't a high populated area there is no police response or state funded relocation search on for this one. No picture in the other article but there was a map pin pointing the location near the town of Home.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23632626/detail.html

[runamuk]

now that dogs are banned this will simply continue to escalate...no pressure equals happy bears .... but thats what they want happy bears so I say let them stay in town those people voted for this crap now they should be forced to reap what they sowed let the bears and cats and heck why not drop a few wolves in too that way all these city people who know best how to "save" the wildlife can live with them for a while when they start eating all their cats dogs and kids maybe they will wake up....

[saylean]

Time to go predator calling in Somerset I guess. Probably lives in Eastgate park...

[sisu]

Must be the sanctuary city status. Bears figure there will be lots of free hand outs!   

[billythekidrock]

now that dogs are banned this will simply continue to escalate...no pressure equals happy bears .... but thats what they want happy bears so I say let them stay in town those people voted for this crap now they should be forced to reap what they sowed let the bears and cats and heck why not drop a few wolves in too that way all these city people who know best how to "save" the wildlife can live with them for a while when they start eating all their cats dogs and kids maybe they will wake up....

It really has nothing to do with the banning of dogs (or bait for that matter).

Lack of habitat and a growing bear population are the problems.

[runamuk]

now that dogs are banned this will simply continue to escalate...no pressure equals happy bears .... but thats what they want happy bears so I say let them stay in town those people voted for this crap now they should be forced to reap what they sowed let the bears and cats and heck why not drop a few wolves in too that way all these city people who know best how to "save" the wildlife can live with them for a while when they start eating all their cats dogs and kids maybe they will wake up....

It really has nothing to do with the banning of dogs (or bait for that matter).

Lack of habitat and a growing bear population are the problems.

right and that population could be kept in check better with more methods of hunting but that has been removed from the equation.  I believe we cannot manage wildlife when limited to only one or two PC make the bunny huggers happy methods it just does not work Wildlife managers need to have every option available so they can pick the one best for the situation not make due because they have to.  But you are probably right ....

[saylean]

Looking at the map, cougar mountains green belt goes right on down to that area, so it makes sense. Poor little fella...hope he finds a good home.

Like my wall!

[billythekidrock]

now that dogs are banned this will simply continue to escalate...no pressure equals happy bears .... but thats what they want happy bears so I say let them stay in town those people voted for this crap now they should be forced to reap what they sowed let the bears and cats and heck why not drop a few wolves in too that way all these city people who know best how to "save" the wildlife can live with them for a while when they start eating all their cats dogs and kids maybe they will wake up....

It really has nothing to do with the banning of dogs (or bait for that matter).

Lack of habitat and a growing bear population are the problems.

right and that population could be kept in check better with more methods of hunting but that has been removed from the equation.  I believe we cannot manage wildlife when limited to only one or two PC make the bunny huggers happy methods it just does not work Wildlife managers need to have every option available so they can pick the one best for the situation not make due because they have to.  But you are probably right ....

We are killing more bears today without dogs then we did in recent history with dogs.

[runamuk]

I dont feel like arguing or even bothering to try and explain my thinking it is not important....

hope the city dwellers enjoy their bears out of the zoo....I really could care less I've always lived where bears and cats and coyotes live its just part of life for me......

[actionshooter]

now that dogs are banned this will simply continue to escalate...no pressure equals happy bears .... but thats what they want happy bears so I say let them stay in town those people voted for this crap now they should be forced to reap what they sowed let the bears and cats and heck why not drop a few wolves in too that way all these city people who know best how to "save" the wildlife can live with them for a while when they start eating all their cats dogs and kids maybe they will wake up....

It really has nothing to do with the banning of dogs (or bait for that matter).

Lack of habitat and a growing bear population are the problems.

right and that population could be kept in check better with more methods of hunting but that has been removed from the equation.  I believe we cannot manage wildlife when limited to only one or two PC make the bunny huggers happy methods it just does not work Wildlife managers need to have every option available so they can pick the one best for the situation not make due because they have to.  But you are probably right ....

We are killing more bears today without dogs then we did in recent history with dogs.

 Yep bear hunting is more "fashionable" than it was 18-20 years ago. There are way more people hunting bears now than there was when baiting and hounding was legal.
 I do wish I could chases the bears with the dogs again though  

[bobcat]

We are killing more bears today without dogs then we did in recent history with dogs.

How do we know that for sure though? The WDFW harvest reports may indicate that, but maybe it is just that a bear kill now is more likely to be reported than it was in the past. When bears were being hunted with dogs, how many bears got killed that the WDFW never knew about? Just an idea I thought I would throw out there. Maybe the WDFW's harvest numbers are accurate, and consistent throughout the years, but maybe they are not.  

[billythekidrock]

We are killing more bears today without dogs then we did in recent history with dogs.

How do we know that for sure though? The WDFW harvest reports may indicate that, but maybe it is just that a bear kill now is more likely to be reported than it was in the past. When bears were being hunted with dogs, how many bears got killed that the WDFW never knew about? Just an idea I thought I would throw out there. Maybe the WDFW's harvest numbers are accurate, and consistent throughout the years, but maybe they are not.   

I would bet that not all bears are reported, especially under the depredation permits but I also think that was the case in the past as well.

[bobcat]

Of course on the private timberland they still hunt bears with hounds just like they always have. So I guess the increase in the bear population is mostly on public land.