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There Goes the Neighborhood…
January 23, 2009
I ran across this article, regarding the rising black bear population in lower Michigan, linked from one of the hiking lists that I’ve been reading. This particular article does not mention it, but in November 2007, a 150-lb. (small, but still it’s a bear) bear was struck by a car on the freeway in Oceana County near Stony Lake Road (M-20). In recent years bear sightings have also been reported in Muskegon county, including this 2008 sighting in Fruitport Township, recent reports at Hoffmaster State Park and several reported sightings along Seaway Drive in the creek bed east of Seminole Road. There have also been increasing reports of cougar in both Oceana and Muskegon counties. I’ve always been conscious of bear as I hike in the Porcupine Mountains and Pictured Rocks in the U.P., but I guess maybe I should start carrying the bear spray even on trails closer to home.
Black Bear Population on the Rise in Michigan
Posted by Deb
Topics: around town, hiking
March 1st, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I saw the authorities use these to great effect in Alaska.
http://www.bearsmart.com/backcountryManners/Deterrents.html
The rationale is guns and spray hurt the animal, possibly inducing some to defend themselves.
These just make them run from scary ball of fire.