Rain Man
08-25-2009, 12:01
Thought I'd share this email I received today from the Tennessee Trails Association--
"From the Friends of South Cumberland:
"MONTEAGLE -- August 15, 2009 The Friends of South Cumberland Board met today for our scheduled quarterly meeting. Park Manager John Christof advised the board that a local property owner's game feeding stand photographed a black bear not too far from the Collins Gulf entrance to the park. Ranger George Shinn advised that he and other rangers have seen bear scat, tracks and other signs in Collins Gulf, along the Connector Trail and in the vicinity of Hobbs Cabin within the past week. It appears that there might be three different animals.
"Camping and cooking in bear country, and storing a food cache, requires different safety precautions than normal backpacking and camping. The most common close encounters between bears and people in the wilderness almost all relate to the presence of food.
"The National Park Service has an excellent write up here related to bears and bear behavior in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
"http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm
"If you see a bear at South Cumberland during your visit, please report the time and location to a Ranger.
"Ranger George Shinn is presently talking with other Tennessee state parks who have bears and I expect South Cumberland will have some written guidelines and recommendations in the very near future."
=========
And more from the current home page of this web site--
FRIENDS OF SOUTH CUMBERLAND STATE RECREATION AREA (http://www.friendsofscsra.org/)
"Black Bears at Savage Gulf
"Bring New Requirements for Backpackers
"MONTEAGLE, TN August 18, 2009 The recent presence of black bears in Savage Gulf is bringing some new backpacking and hiking rules for Park visitors. South Cumberland is in the process of creating new bear guidelines which are being adapted from Pickett State Park where bears have been present for several years.
"A new Park flyer posted at Park entrances and kiosks reads "All park visitors be advised to use caution when in contact with BEARS, respect the bears need for space. Never approach a bear, not even for a photo."
"Campers must use ‘bear bag’ * technique and hang ALL food and scented items away from campsite. Never have food stored in tent. Carry all trash out, do not burn and leave garbage in fire ring, this will attract bears to campgrounds.
"(*hang food in bag at least 100ft away from campsite & other campers. Hang on sturdy limb, that will be able to hold weight of bag, at least 10 feett away from trunk of tree and hoist bag at least 15 feet above the ground.)
"Bearbagging is the practice of storing anything that smells like food (as well as the food itself) into a bag, and hanging it over a tree limb that a bear can't reach by climbing or stretching.
"Keep this in mind: bears
* learn quickly
* have a powerful sense of smell
* have a more generous definition of "food" than you do.
"Anything that once contained food, or physically contacted food, or even had an edible liquid like soup or juice spilled on it is capable of attracting a bear. They'll also go for these:
"toothpaste
"gum wrappers
"bars of soap (most contain fats)
"scented sunscreens
"deodorants
"If you're unsure about the item, play it safe and place it out of reach in your bear bag. Bears can scent food through plastic bags, foil wrapping, even lidded plastic containers."
"Read the Park bear notice here. (http://www.friendsofscsra.org/bears/black-bears-savage-gulf-2009-8-18.pdf)"
=======================
All in all, I consider it a good sign if wildlife is moving back into a protected wilderness area.
Rain:sunMan
.
"From the Friends of South Cumberland:
"MONTEAGLE -- August 15, 2009 The Friends of South Cumberland Board met today for our scheduled quarterly meeting. Park Manager John Christof advised the board that a local property owner's game feeding stand photographed a black bear not too far from the Collins Gulf entrance to the park. Ranger George Shinn advised that he and other rangers have seen bear scat, tracks and other signs in Collins Gulf, along the Connector Trail and in the vicinity of Hobbs Cabin within the past week. It appears that there might be three different animals.
"Camping and cooking in bear country, and storing a food cache, requires different safety precautions than normal backpacking and camping. The most common close encounters between bears and people in the wilderness almost all relate to the presence of food.
"The National Park Service has an excellent write up here related to bears and bear behavior in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
"http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm
"If you see a bear at South Cumberland during your visit, please report the time and location to a Ranger.
"Ranger George Shinn is presently talking with other Tennessee state parks who have bears and I expect South Cumberland will have some written guidelines and recommendations in the very near future."
=========
And more from the current home page of this web site--
FRIENDS OF SOUTH CUMBERLAND STATE RECREATION AREA (http://www.friendsofscsra.org/)
"Black Bears at Savage Gulf
"Bring New Requirements for Backpackers
"MONTEAGLE, TN August 18, 2009 The recent presence of black bears in Savage Gulf is bringing some new backpacking and hiking rules for Park visitors. South Cumberland is in the process of creating new bear guidelines which are being adapted from Pickett State Park where bears have been present for several years.
"A new Park flyer posted at Park entrances and kiosks reads "All park visitors be advised to use caution when in contact with BEARS, respect the bears need for space. Never approach a bear, not even for a photo."
"Campers must use ‘bear bag’ * technique and hang ALL food and scented items away from campsite. Never have food stored in tent. Carry all trash out, do not burn and leave garbage in fire ring, this will attract bears to campgrounds.
"(*hang food in bag at least 100ft away from campsite & other campers. Hang on sturdy limb, that will be able to hold weight of bag, at least 10 feett away from trunk of tree and hoist bag at least 15 feet above the ground.)
"Bearbagging is the practice of storing anything that smells like food (as well as the food itself) into a bag, and hanging it over a tree limb that a bear can't reach by climbing or stretching.
"Keep this in mind: bears
* learn quickly
* have a powerful sense of smell
* have a more generous definition of "food" than you do.
"Anything that once contained food, or physically contacted food, or even had an edible liquid like soup or juice spilled on it is capable of attracting a bear. They'll also go for these:
"toothpaste
"gum wrappers
"bars of soap (most contain fats)
"scented sunscreens
"deodorants
"If you're unsure about the item, play it safe and place it out of reach in your bear bag. Bears can scent food through plastic bags, foil wrapping, even lidded plastic containers."
"Read the Park bear notice here. (http://www.friendsofscsra.org/bears/black-bears-savage-gulf-2009-8-18.pdf)"
=======================
All in all, I consider it a good sign if wildlife is moving back into a protected wilderness area.
Rain:sunMan
.