http://www.wxii12.com/news/shelter-r...okies/39957846A shelter near where a black bear bit a camper last month at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened. The park euthanized a 400-pound male black bear that was darted and captured near where the attack occurred, but DNA tests determined it was not the bear involved in the attack.
Because I found a home in haunts which others scorned, the partial wood-gods granted me the freedom of their state, and chiefest prize found I true liberty, the home of homes plain dealing Nature gave
Years ago in the Deleware Water Gap a ranger decided that he would teach a bear a lesson that he treed with the help of defensive spray of some sort next to our car-camp site.
He had something like a toy pistol that shot a firecracker up at the bear.
The laws of gravity being what they are, the fire cracker reached up to the bear but then dropped down near the ranger's head before going off.
When the ranger instinctively reached for his service revolver on hearing the blast, I concluded the bear was the least of my concerns.
I asked him to just back off and let the bear come down and teach it a lesson another day.
Black bears evolved alongside grizzlys, among other large carnivores like big cats.
They survived by running away, and climbing trees.
Today, they believe that we are the top predators they innately fear.
Until they get enough exposure to people, that they figure out they dont need to fear us.
Then, anything can happen, and does.
A 400 lb bear in a national park, thats not hunted or has any natural enemies, or adverse encounters with people, evntually thinks he is king of the forest.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 06-14-2016 at 22:57.