N A W A C - Field Study Discussion

[the parkie]

I would have to disagree Stan as I was once cornered by a goose with a flick-knife.

[Guest Stan Norton]

Yep. Forgot about the geese. They're rife.

[BobbyO]

The reaction would have been no different from folks half their age...perhaps a few more choice words, but still the same inherent panic when faced with a large creature. The most dangerous animal in Britain is probably a cow, and has been for the last 300 years or so.

What inherent panic ? There wasn't any as they didn't see it, and I suspect they didn't see it as their reactions are slower as is their awareness due to their age. Edited January 26, 2014 by BobbyO

[Guest Stan Norton]

Well the fact that upon seeing the bear the chap cried out and fumbled to get back inside in a panic. I realise we may not be reading the same article...the original link had quotes from the husband where his reaction was "bear! No!" followed by a panic to get away.

[Guest]

May I suggest a gorge. Something with rock outcroppings for shelter. In winter maybe a place that gets daytime sun which also suggests a winter block for wind from the north and west. I think all three to be a good combination

 

Yep.

[JanV]

Yep.

Are there any old abandoned rock quarry operations in the area?

Have you had any type air survey done in the winter time when the leaf cover is at its minimum?

[Guest]

We have a number of pilots in the group, one with his own plane. We've flown over the area numerous times, but so far, have not found anything that's obviously shelter. Hiking around and looking for signs of foraging and bedding are some of my favorite things to do while there. 

[hiflier]

Hello bipto,

I would imagine it's expensive too.

[Guest Stan Norton]

This footage from the BBC 's Wild Arabia shows just how useful an expensive bit of thermal imaging kit might be...if money were no object...

 

 

Brian, are the images from the scope thermal imagers you use of anywhere near comparable quality? Or is this way off the scale? 

[Guest zenmonkey]

We have a number of pilots in the group, one with his own plane. We've flown over the area numerous times, but so far, have not found anything that's obviously shelter. Hiking around and looking for signs of foraging and bedding are some of my favorite things to do while there. 

Thats so awesome! I envy you sir!

[Guest]

Brian, are the images from the scope thermal imagers you use of anywhere near comparable quality? Or is this way off the scale? 

 

No, those are in the ballpark of the units we use. Scoping through the plastic of the Overwatch tent degrades the clarity a bit so it's not as sharp then, but the shapes of animals are still readily apparent. 

Thats so awesome! I envy you sir!

 

There are days I have to remind myself how fortunate I am to be able to go there. It's a remarkable place. 

[the parkie]

Bipto

Sorry, can't remember if this has been asked or answered before -

Have any carcasses / animal kills been found around the area? Been reading up on John Mionczynski who reported that some kills he found all showed evidence of two distinctive anomalies:

1. Ungulates all had their necks broken very aggressively at the C1/C2 joint;

2. The hides appeared to be pulled off the thoracic and upper abdominal portion of the carcasses like 'peeling a banana'

Just wondered if anything similar had been found in or around X?

Many thanks.

[Drew]

I live in an area with one of the largest black bear populations in, I believe I read, North America.  Still, bear encounters are rare and usually you'll only catch one crossing a road unless you're having issues with a bear that keeps visiting your neighbourhood because folks don't put their garbage away.  Regarding bf, anyone who knows their wildlife and who really gets out there would probably never mistake a bear for anything other than a bear.  On the other hand, too many people who report bf don't know their wildlife.   Here's  classic example of a porcupine in a tree and someone thinking it's a bigfoot.  This is what we have to deal with regarding sightings which I fear are in the majority.

 

 

Terry,

When I lived in Houghton Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula, we had Black Bears crossing the roads, in fact, they would often sit in the road eating roadkill, and then a Petrbilt would turn them into roadkill as well. (Lots of logging trucks up there).  US-41 cuts through the area dividing large tracts of wilderness.

 

In the 80's, we would drive to the garbage dump, and watch wild black bears sorting through the garbage as well.  Put a Zagnut on the hood of your car, and they would take a seet on your hood and eat it.

Bipto, you say that you captured many Black Bears on the game cams, I would assume they are foraging for food.

 

Often game cams are useful when put over food plots or bait.  Why do you think a Wood Ape, which by most accounts is larger than a Black Bear, and would have higher caloric requirements, does not approach your bait?  I mean even an injured Wood Ape, or one that is needing food, would eventually not be able to resist a free offering of Marshmallows or Bacon, to fatten up before the lean months.

[Guest DWA]

This footage from the BBC 's Wild Arabia shows just how useful an expensive bit of thermal imaging kit might be...if money were no object...

 

It illustrates something else too, which is:  how little we know what's really going on in a wild area without sophisticated, focused scrutiny with advanced technology.

[WSA]

Manitoba and Minnesota!

 

We have many images of bears on our game cams and have seen them from time to time. They appear to be numerous in the area. 

 

They appear to be very flexible WRT sleeping habits. We have experienced activity during daylight and nighttime hours. They're most bold in the very late hours just before dawn. 

 

We have found some bedded down areas from time to time, but we can't positively attribute them to apes. We haven't found anything like gorilla nests. 

 

We believe they do have scouts and sentries, not unlike gorillas and other primates. 

 

We have no idea. If only we knew where their "homebase" was. There is a lot of speculation and conjecture about that. We don't even know how large their range is, let along how far they come to observe and interact with us. 

Bipto....A point of clarification if you wouldn't mind. I could have sworn you said somewhere up-thread that BB's were NOT showing up on your game cameras in Area X, or did I misunderstand or disremember that comment?  Thanks.