There is a genetic factor in behavior as well. Thru history, bears who thought humans might be tasty didn’t last long or spread their genes very successfully. Humans would respond with anger and revenge at heart if a bear killed one of their friends or children. This is why (in general) a grizzly bear will run away from a human. But modern society is doing a very good job at bringing back bold bruins of every size who are responding more and more by running TOWARD human settlements and less by running away from them.

I don’t have the statistics in front of me but I think it would be reasonable to assume that visits to National Parks, etc. is on the rise. It would stand to reason because according to the latest report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife viewing has increased significantly over the past decade.

With that further encroachment whether through development or visits to the woods PLUS and increase in bear population, the end result is more encounters.

Hunting is the best known and most reliable means of game animal population control. Without it, too many animals competing for the same habitat. This often forces these animals out into “our” territory.

I think the “positive” link can surely be made.

The fact that there have been more attacks recently doesn’t mean anything unless you look at urban sprawl and what has happened to the number of national park visitors. I do not know if there are more people visiting national parks or not, but until someone can demonstrate that there has not been a significant change in other factors there can be no positive link between number of bear attacks and hunting bans.

Here’s another from the Cooperative Extension of the University of Washington – http://ext.nrs.wsu.edu/publications/Blackbears1.htm – that states that 45 recorded deaths have resulted in North America since 1900. That was written in 2002.

You can visit any of the pro bear websites and those of animal rights organizations and read how your chances are greater to get killed by a bee sting that by a black bear.

Once anyone spends time on any and all of these sites, it becomes very clear that the information on these websites should be updated as things have changed and people need to be told that those odds, whatever they are, have increased and probably will continue to increase so long as states keep banning hunting and trapping of bears.

This is the whole point of my articles. It’s time to change the talking points about bear attacks.

Sorry, Richard for missing the links to some of the sources where I got my info. I’m glad someone is keeping an eye on me! Ha Ha!

Did you not have an online source for your bear attack statistics or did you inadvertently leave them out?

It would be helpful to see what we are talking about here.

Is anyone planning to get the source of Randy Cross’s numbers – big difference between his numbers and yours. Holyoke should have questioned him and Randy should have offered them up regardless of whether it was requested.

Incidentally, I grew up in western Maine 6 decades ago. Spent lots of time outdoors and it was rare to see bear sign and even more unlikely to see a bear away from the local dump. Now my wife and I – both retired – frequently roam, hunt and hike Somerset and northern Oxford Counties and it is now rare to not see seasonally fresh sign. Enough sign so I always carry a loaded .44 mag revolver. Never thought it would come to that.

Hopefully – probably I will never have to use it, but… my wife always asks if I have my gun before we leave the truck.