View Full Version : Bears ?
We are looking to do a 5 day leisurely section hike week after next (Springer on north). We hope to do 50 miles or so.
I haven't been able to find much on the bear population in N Georgia...
So i'm wondering how concerned we should be ..
Skidsteer
10-12-2009, 21:01
Don't be too concerned. You have a decent chance of seeing a bear in GA.
I'm not concerned about seeing a bear i'm just concerned about having our stuff destroyed...
I saw where some shelters in the Smokies have fence around them.
MintakaCat
10-12-2009, 21:26
I saw where some shelters in the Smokies have fence around them.
The fence is only there to keep the bears from carring away the shelters.:eek:
To be honest, every sighting of a bear for me has been their hind end running away as fast as they can.
GeneralLee10
10-12-2009, 22:33
I just got done with Springer to Dicks Creek Gap. I did not see any south of Neels Gap. But did see around 8 north of there most of the sightings for me were just north of Low Gap Shelter in the Morn. All of them ran away I do not think it is a worry. Make sure your cam is out as mine was put up at the time. It was funny one was walking the trail in front of me heading north, I spooked the crap out of him. You should have a very nice hike temps will be cool and trees will be in good color. Have fun!:)
Encountered one bear at Hawk Mtn shelter...actually while walking to the privy...bear bolted quickly...encountered another bear just south of Indian Grave gap...while coming down Rocky Mtn...bear was just off trail and bolted quickly. This was two weeks ago. Enjoy your hike...beautiful time of year.
Wise Old Owl
10-13-2009, 00:20
Encountered one bear at Hawk Mtn shelter...actually while walking to the privy...bear bolted quickly...encountered another bear just south of Indian Grave gap...while coming down Rocky Mtn...bear was just off trail and bolted quickly. This was two weeks ago. Enjoy your hike...beautiful time of year.
Well if you were seen on the Hawk Mtn privy - you would bolt too.....:D
Trailweaver
10-13-2009, 01:19
Just be sure to bear bag your food, and as previously said, have your camera ready. There are bears around the area you propose to hike.
Yeah, i intend to bear bag. Last year we hiked a section north from Rockfish Gap in SNP and when we got to the Loft Mountain campground a bear had apparently completely destroyed a tent and i mean shredded. They had pictures posted and the people claimed they had put all food stuff in the bear safe. The ranger there said he thought the bear might have been attracted by toothpaste?!?! So we put our entire packs in the safe....just to be safe :eek:.
Anyway i just wanted to know if this year we should be equally vigilant.
Ashepabst
10-13-2009, 10:29
Anyway i just wanted to know if this year we should be equally vigilant.
This year, you guys should be OK.
MkBibble
10-14-2009, 14:48
...have your camera ready.
I came around a corner just north of Justus creek and was looking straight at a bear about 50 feet away. Before I could get my camera out of the zippered hipbelt pocket he was gone! *poof*
It was truly amazing. It didn't look like he was in a hurry, but in seconds he was totally invisible, and not a sound!
By this time of year the N. Georgia bears have had their fill of hiker meat...they're really a lot more docile.
Frick Frack
10-14-2009, 16:52
Lots of bear here in N. GA and all the ones I have seen have had tons of Southern hospitality. We saw some huge wild hogs around Poplar Stomp, largest I have ever seen, this time last year and my wife saw a mountain lion few months ago around Hogpen (on her road bike). Good luck! Hopefully you will get to see some critters....they are more afraid of you than you of them...usually....
Graywolf
10-14-2009, 19:24
On my section hike I saw one at Stover Creek.. Dang bear... wasn't even interested in my tuna fish...:eek: Heard another as I was going up Hightower Gap... Man he was so rude... couldn't even stop playing in his berry patch to say hi....
Those Georgia bears are so RUDE... They moon you as you come up the trail...... Hog up the privys..... and grunt...whats up with that anyway...Dosn't bears take bear ettiquett classes when they are young??...
Best advice.... practice safty protocalls and hope to get good pictures...
Graywolf
You might see a bear or 2. In May of 2004 my wife and I saw a small bear on the trail just north of Low Gap Shelter (GA) on our section hike. Once the bear saw us it turned & went off trail in seconds. A brief look and flash, the bear was gone. November of 2002 on the AT in the Smokies, hiking down from Shuckstack Fire Tower going toward Fontana Dam. My wife saw a large bear 20 yards off trail. I had walked right by and never saw it.
We now have 2 bears that raid our bird feeders that hang in the trees beside our house. There are more bears around these days here in Asheville (many reasons why). Most bears fear people. Trouble starts when a bear get a taste of "people food". Watch out when that happens. We take the bird feeders down at night or when we are not home. :)
The shelters in the Smokies have been renovated. No more fence in front of the shelters. Bear cables are now in place for use to hang food and or packs. :)
Well we got back Wednesday from Neels Gap. Didn't see any bears, we didn't even see any bear poop...
The only wildlife we saw between Springer and Neels Gap were squirrels, chipmunks and crows...and hundreds of scouts....
Although we did see a huge group of turkeys on FS42.... :)
I think it's bear season until mid november so hunters will be out there for sure. I'll be out there too, I'll be the guy glowing orange. Happy Trails.
Cheers
takethisbread
10-31-2009, 16:12
I hope to see one at relatively safe distance
MedicineMan
11-01-2009, 01:11
I'm a little over 2400 miles on the AT cummulative miles over the last 36 years and have never seen a bear on the trail with the exception of the Bear Mountain Zoo....yet my tech did Damascus to Carvers 2 months ago and saw 4 bear on his first day...some hikers have the bear magnet and some dont.
I'd be curious as to how many someone like LW with 24,000 miles on the AT has seen.
I'm a little over 2400 miles on the AT cummulative miles over the last 36 years and have never seen a bear on the trail with the exception of the Bear Mountain Zoo....yet my tech did Damascus to Carvers 2 months ago and saw 4 bear on his first day...some hikers have the bear magnet and some dont.
I'd be curious as to how many someone like LW with 24,000 miles on the AT has seen.
wow, all those miles and years and not one bear !?!
MedicineMan
11-01-2009, 22:13
all those miles? like i said maybe some of the multiple multiple 2000 milers will chime in on how many they have seen...and i've yet to do the entire trail-maybe my luck will improve as i get further north; at least on last months hike I saw a porcupine which was a big sighting for me.
my hiking partner has all the luck this is what he wrote me: [we] "saw a big bear last week while out driving in the mountains (in Md) so she could see the leaves (geezin!!) I stopped the car with the bear on her side about 10 yards away and rolled down the window and said "here she is, come and get her " She may speak to me again by next year."
some guys have all the luck :)
sheepdog
11-03-2009, 12:17
Best place to see a bear is SNP and GSMNP. Just about every hiker I talked to at SNP saw several bears. I saw two there.
DrRichardCranium
11-03-2009, 15:03
Best place to see a bear is SNP and GSMNP. Just about every hiker I talked to at SNP saw several bears. I saw two there. I was doing a shakedown hike in SNP 2 weeks ago. I had hiked for just 35 minutes on the lesser-known trails near the Pinnacles (opposite side of Skyline Drive from the AT). Came around a bend and there was a large adult black bear on a partially-fallen tree about 30 yards away. He clambered noisily down the tree & hit the forest floor & took off directly away from me.
The next day I ran into a SOBO thru-hiker named Hungry Creepster. He had hiked all the way from Maine without seeing a bear, and I saw one after hiking 35 minutes from my car.
:banana
I'll have to wait till next year. Hiking season is over for me this year.
I'm contemplating a section hike in the Grayson Highlands, so maybe i'll see something more than squirrels there ....:D
The cook at Mohican Outdoor Center and his dog can tell you exactly when the bears will be around.
ChinMusic
11-05-2009, 00:06
Anyone seen this one?
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/11/04/article-1225042-0711FC57000005DC-753_634x693.jpg
Wise Old Owl
11-05-2009, 00:22
wow, all those miles and years and not one bear !?!
Medicine Man has good powers and a larger set of bear bells!:D
wonder if they're brass bells ? :D