View Full Version : bears in maryland and virginia this time of year
Are Bears less of a worry when hiking in the winter months? Do they fully hybernate? If so should i still hang my food?
the goat
11-23-2009, 13:57
black bears in the east don't hibernate, i've seen a ton of black bears in winter snow & ice in northern va.
john gault
11-23-2009, 16:28
Black bears do hibernate or Torpor (whatever you want to call it) on the East Coast. However, they will come out occasionally if the temps are mild or may not even hibernate if it's a mild winter and of course the Florida black bear does not hibernate.
DrRichardCranium
11-23-2009, 16:56
Bears don't truly hibernate. True hibernation is a state in which the animal's body temperature drops significantly. Bears don't do that. They just spend a lot of the winter sleeping.
john gault
11-23-2009, 17:30
Bears don't simply go into a deep sleep. The reason why biologists were hesitant to call it hibernation was because the bears body temp doesn't really drop much, but after much research they discovered that there are some incredible things going on in the bear's biology.
Many biologist now recognize bears as hibernators vice referring to their sleeping period as Topor.
http://www.bear.org/website/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=191:5-stages-of-activity-and-hibernation&catid=61&Itemid=122
http://www.bear.org/website/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=190:do-black-bears-hibernate&catid=61&Itemid=122
It's deer hunting season now in Virginia, you have way more chance of getting shot with a high-powered rifle than of a bear messing with you or your food. :-)
It's deer hunting season now in Virginia, you have way more chance of getting shot with a high-powered rifle than of a bear messing with you or your food. :-)
I would prefer neither.
Doughnut
11-24-2009, 05:26
It's deer hunting season now in Virginia, you have way more chance of getting shot with a high-powered rifle than of a bear messing with you or your food. :-)
Interesting.... Quick Poll: How many times have you been shot at with a high power rifle while hiking??
How many times has a beer 'messed" with your food?
doughNut
I'm really only afraid of bears with high powered rifles who think I'm food.
How many times has a beer 'messed" with your food?
doughNut
A beer never messed with my food but many beer can make the food come back.
Points taken. But I still maintain you are more likely to see a hunter with a rifle standing on the trail here in Central Virginia than you are to encounter a bear, this time of year. I like the bears, the hunters make me nervous.
Tuckahoe64
11-24-2009, 19:44
The rather unreasonable fear of hunters and/or firearms by some here simply amazes me.
It's deer hunting season now in Virginia, you have way more chance of getting shot with a high-powered rifle than of a bear messing with you or your food. :-)
Although a college girl recently was shot by a drugged hunter last week, non hunters getting shot in Virginia is quite rare. Very few cases over the last decade. Stats seem to indicate that the hunters shoot other hunters, rather than non hunters.
Questions....When does a bear go to sleep?.....Anytime he wants.
I always hang the bear bag cause bears aren't the only critters out there interested in hiker food.
Happy trails!