Saw 7 bears in TN Sat [Archive]

fredmugs

07-19-2009, 21:31

Did a 24 mile day Sat SOBO from Iron Mtn shelter to Dennis Cove. I saw 4 bears about 15 minutes south of the shelter and another 3 a few miles before I got to Watauga Lake. Some NOBO's saw bears as they came into the shelter on Friday.

First 1550 miles on the trail I saw 6 bears total and then 7 in one day!

Tennessee Viking

07-19-2009, 21:40

Its lake weather for the bears

naturewanderer

07-20-2009, 12:45

Thanks for the info FredMugs! I am hiking from Dennis Cove to Damascus next week and will keep an eye out for them.:cool:
Any other feedback on those sections?
Halftrax

MOWGLI

07-20-2009, 13:16

It was the Teddy Bear Picnic this past weekend. Hadn't you heard?

Plodderman

07-20-2009, 14:06

Bear sightings are becoming more frequent but haven't heard of any problems other than sightings.

MOWGLI

07-20-2009, 14:09

I have seen 2 bears my last 2 hikes in the Cherokee NF. Their population appears robust.

Engine

07-20-2009, 15:15

Based on sightings, the population must be very healthy. Back in the late 80's I could spend a week in the Smokies and never see a bear. The past 6-7 years however, we see a few every time we go up. They are definitely becoming less afraid of people in some areas and that may play a role in the more frequent sightings as well. In the past they may have run off at the first sign of a human, while some are almost curious about hikers now.

Lilred

07-22-2009, 11:12

I'm the only hiker in the world that has hiked the entire length of the Shenandoah's and not seen a single bear. Not even bear butt.

:mad::confused::eek:

ShelterLeopard

07-22-2009, 13:27

Did a 24 mile day Sat SOBO from Iron Mtn shelter to Dennis Cove. I saw 4 bears about 15 minutes south of the shelter and another 3 a few miles before I got to Watauga Lake. Some NOBO's saw bears as they came into the shelter on Friday.

First 1550 miles on the trail I saw 6 bears total and then 7 in one day!

Maybe they were holding a meeting and it had just broken up when you walked through.

TD55

07-22-2009, 13:34

I'm the only hiker in the world that has hiked the entire length of the Shenandoah's and not seen a single bear. Not even bear butt.

:mad::confused::eek:

They are very busy nowadays making appearances on the parkway.:banana

Plodderman

07-22-2009, 13:40

It is kind of neat to see a few bears. Give us something to talk about and adds a little adventure to the hike.