$moky the Bear $ure i$!
"New Hampshire warns campers of early bear activity" Associated Press June 28, 2014
CAMPTON, N.H. — The number of encounters with bears in the White Mountain National Forest is on the rise at the beginning of the season, leading rangers to issue early warnings and step up enforcement of rules designed to discourage bears from scrounging for a meal.
Nobody has been injured, but the black bears are getting bold, said Colleen Mainville, a spokeswoman for the national forest.
One report said a bear tried to enter a tent while another was searching the back of pickup trucks for food....
Most campers and hikers will never see a bear, but when the critters do find food, they learn quickly that they can mooch a meal from two-legged visitors. That leads to more encounters, which can be bad for both bear and human.
‘‘Bears that get too used to people may have to be trapped and relocated or even killed,’’ forest officials said in a news release. ‘‘Remember, ‘A fed bear is a dead bear.’ ’’
They really don't have to do much of anything except be there.
Rangers have begun to step up patrols, and visitors who fail to follow bear-safe rules can be fined $125 to $5,000 and face up to six months in jail.
The best way to reduce the chance of a bear wandering into a campsite is to keep the area clean and completely clear of food, right down to wrappers. Store all food either in the trunk of a vehicle or in bear-proof canisters that can be rented at national forest offices and visitor centers. Here are some other tips:
Don't go camping is a good start, and have a gun at the ready if you do.
--more--"
Also see: Small earthquake detected near Berlin, N.H.
Must be the growling bear's stomach, and there are worse things in the dark of the woods.
