Well, Just think! Now we have another group out with guns, with people hiking with families, and why?? Because we as a collective group cannot comprehend that our trash is what is killing these bears, and allowing hunters to go forth. How long will it take to get people to realize that putting their trash out the “night before” because they are too damn lazy to get up at 6 a.m. is allowing the bruins easy pickings during the night, hence their return to each particular neighborhood week after week, resulting in more problem bears, and the simple fact that a fat, well fed female is now capable of giving birth to 2 and 3 cubs each winter season, as opposed to 1 when she can’t feed off garbage left by lazy locals, and lazy visitors who can’t be bothered to take their trash home. It is truly sad that in this beautiful basin, we have not evolved enough to understand cohabitation between the animals and ourselves. We really should be ashamed. But we aren’t…. at least not all of us. Hunting a deer? Well that is a challenge. You need cammo, stealth, blinds, etc, because a deer is wary to say the least. Every movement, every sound is suspect, but a black bear? How much sport is this? They aren’t like deer… skittish. So have fun walking up to a bear, face to face cause they have become so socialized with humans, you will need to come up with a really good story for your deer hunting friends on how you bagged it.

Or, if you’re too lazy to take your garbage out the morning of, and too broke to afford a real bear box, buy yourself a $99 bear-proof screw top 30 gallon trash can to keep your food garbage in. Most hardware stores in the basin have them. Do your part!

To Ellen: Thank you for the validation of my comments. I truly stand behind them. We had to use a paintball gun to teach a juvenile bear to go away, and it wasn’t a fun thing to do. On that note, please know that if you choose to use one, use only white or yellow. If you use a red or pink paintball, it may appear the bear is injured and could be shot by law emforcement. This information I received from Lake Tahoe Wildlife. I hated we had to shoot this juvie in his/her behind, but it has not been back. However, to say again, please don’t leave your trash out the night before. In my previous job, I got calls about the screwtop cans, which by the way are NOT bear proof, but bear resistant. I cannot tell you how many calls I took from people in the outer areas such as Spring Creek area, asking what to do. When I explained about leaving ANY food, most admitted they didn’t want to haul everything home and not to tell the sister-in-law, etc, that they left food sources there. I couldn’t get through to some that any food source left was a direct invitation for the bear to either move in or break in. So, having said all this, after 40 years of living here, maybe I am full of it, or just maybe, I have learned what to do and what not to do. The saying: “A fed bear is a dead bear” is really true. People I have seen, baiting their home area so they can take pictures of the bears, well these people are directly responsible for those same bears being killed. So Reno news says 2 female bears were “harvested”. Just another fancy moniker for having been shot. Enough said