Some bear photos from Wolf Cairn Moor, my home,,,

[Haggis]

"Baiting" black bears for hunting is legal here in Minnesota, and many folk who don't hunt feed the bears simply for the enjoyment of seeing them, or knowing they are around. More than bears eat the feed I put out. Lots of sorts of wildlife drop by for a free meal. Fisher, coyotes, foxes, and even wolves come around even though the wolves refuse any offer of food, the wolves are simply curious. Little birds, mice, and squirrels drop by for an easy meal, and some larger animals drop by to eat the little birds, mice, and squirrels.

 

[santaman2000]

As an aside, isn't it enshrined in the American Constitution that Americans have the right to arm bears?

Yep. It is.

 

[ammo]

Fantastic pics, thanks for posting this.

 

[stonehippo]

Yep. It is.

That levels the playing field.

 

[santaman2000]

That levels the playing field.

To be honest, NO. The playing field is stacked in favor of the "unarmed" bear until the human is armed. Even then, the bear (well, the grizzlies and polar bears anyway) often still have the advantage. But it is a fun perspective

 

[sunndog]

thanks for sharing that haggis

so what do you do, put the food in the drum with the lid on so only a bear can knock it over. and what do you generally put in there?

 

[Ruud]

must be great to photograph such an animal. the biggest I got on picture is a big Moose, still waiting for a bear to pass by

 

[Haggis]

I do put the big rock on top of the barrel to keep small animals from making off with all the food before the bears arrive. Most days I'll put 50 or 60 pounds of feed in the barrel, and the food will be gone in 24 hours. A really big bear can eat that much at one setting. Usually though, they'll eat for a while, wander away, then return a few hours later to eat again. After the barrel is tipped over, and while the bears are gone, smaller animals, and smaller bears, will raid the barrel.

I have seen moose on our property, and I found a skeleton of a moose that may have been two years old, but they are not common here. Further north and east moose are more common.

In winter the bears sleep, then the largest predator is the wolf.

 

[Haggis]

A couple more, and then I'll give it a rest,,,

A sow and her two cubs.


A yearling (weaned and in his second summer) trying to sort out the method of moving that big rock to get at the goodies inside the barrel.


A fisher, come to see what all the fuss is about.