KLG Bear Encounter 4/26/09

[Andy B]

Well I went fishing in the evening last night at the Gorge. I missed two and wanted to get away from a few people in the area. I went and fished the lower section of the Gorge. About 15 minutes before dusk I am fishing on the Road side bank and noticed a black object near the far wood side bank of the stream. For a minute I thought some one was playing with their Black lab. I looked up again and this time clearly seen it was a 300 to 400 male black bear. The bear did not notice me and I observed that the Bear was trying to push a small tree down. I was about 20 to 25 yards away from him. I started to panic and got my sences about me. I reeled up all my fly line in record time and then moved quickly and quietly out of the stream and out of the Bears sight. I then proceeed to my car calling this night over. The bear way beautiful and jet black and had some really nice size paws on him. I could not appreciate seeing the Bear because I felt my encounter with him was much to close for comfort. I have fished the Gorge for many many years and have fished until 11:00 PM at night. I have never encountered a Bear in the gorge. Well from now on I am just going to keep a little more heads up to my surrounding to try and avoid any further encounters like last night. Honestly I was scared being that close. I am glad I stayed com and just moved away quickly as possible with out drawing attention to myself. There was a nice Hendrickson hatch on and I can not tell you how it went do to my night ending and getting back to my car at dusk.

 

[bkill]

On Thursday night, my wife saw the bear cross over the bridge at Hoffmans...He has been all over River Rd and the Gorge for the last month...It sounds like the same bear...He is a boar and doesnt seem real aggressive...I had to chase him out of my yard twice this season...Hopefully he moves on to the Vorhees Campground

Well I went fishing in the evening last night at the Gorge. I missed two and wanted to get away from a few people in the area. I went and fished the lower section of the Gorge. About 15 minutes before dusk I am fishing on the Road side bank and noticed a black object near the far wood side bank of the stream. For a minute I thought some one was playing with their Black lab. I looked up again and this time clearly seen it was a 300 to 400 male black bear. The bear did not notice me and I observed that the Bear was trying to push a small tree down. I was about 20 to 25 yards away from him. I started to panic and got my sences about me. I reeled up all my fly line in record time and then moved quickly and quietly out of the stream and out of the Bears sight. I then proceeed to my car calling this night over. The bear way beautiful and jet black and had some really nice size paws on him. I could not appreciate seeing the Bear because I felt my encounter with him was much to close for comfort. I have fished the Gorge for many many years and have fished until 11:00 PM at night. I have never encountered a Bear in the gorge. Well from now on I am just going to keep a little more heads up to my surrounding to try and avoid and further encounters like last night. Honestly I was scared being that close. I am glad I stayed com and just moved away quickly as possible with out drawing attention to myself. There was a nice Hendrickson hatch on and I can not tell you how it went do to my night ending and getting back to my car at dusk.

 

[onemorecast]

Well I went fishing in the evening last night at the Gorge. I missed two and wanted to get away from a few people in the area. I went and fished the lower section of the Gorge. About 15 minutes before dusk I am fishing on the Road side bank and noticed a black object near the far wood side bank of the stream. For a minute I thought some one was playing with their Black lab. I looked up again and this time clearly seen it was a 300 to 400 male black bear. The bear did not notice me and I observed that the Bear was trying to push a small tree down.

Now we know what happens to half the downed trees in the gorge. I was fishing there after dark with a couple of friends during the general regs closure and on our way out, we heard a tree come down on the hillside above us. My friends figured it must have been a bear looking for ants. It's much easier for them to get to all the goodies when the tree is horizontal.

 

[AKSkim]

I ain't fish'n there No-Mo.

Next we'll hear about some child riding their bike peacefully along the path, thinking about his/her birthday party next week and not paying attention and suddenly.. BEAR ATTACK...

You people out there that mock me...

They are wild animals and hungry for human flesh.

Andy was lucky to escape with his life!

That bear was knocking down that tree to distract him, the other twelve bears were flanking him for the take down.

Just glad Andy didn't have a bear whistle or and air horn with him and use it.

That is only to signal the bear there is someone close by and ready to be eaten.

Like ringing the dinner bell it is.... "Come and get it...!!!! Here bear.. come and eat me...!!!!"

Andy is alive... barely escaping certain death in KLG.

 

[bkill]

Andy is alive... barely escaping certain death in KLG.

The local bears are snobs...They are Dry Fly Purists..They aren't going to stain their teeth eating a wet fly guy...They may maul some nymphers once in a while but if you are casting a royal wulff, watch your back...

 

[AKSkim]

The local bears are snobs...They are Dry Fly Purists..They aren't going to stain their teeth eating a wet fly guy...They may maul some nymphers once in a while but if you are casting a royal wulff, watch your back...

See... Mocking me..

They are dangerous.

We'll be finding bikes all over the gorge.

Bears are dangerous, they eat people.

 

[Simms]

Andy,

Did you miss them sub surface or with dries? Woulda thought the Gorge would be on fire yesterday. I guess it was pounded hard though..

 

[Andy B]

I missed them on wet flies. Had a two wet fly rig going. I left the house quickly yesterday and forgot to bring my hendrickson wet flies with me. My hits were on yellow Sallies with a Greenwells glory dropper.

 

[AKSkim]

I missed them on wet flies. Had a two wet fly rig going. I left the house quickly yesterday and forgot to bring my hendrickson wet flies with me. My hits were on yellow Sallies with a Greenwells glory dropper.

Don't forget.... there was ONE HIT of a paw with claws you missed...

 

[Andy B]

bkill & onemorecast:

Thanks for the update. Sounds like we have a Bear not use to being fed by humans and I hope it stays that way. The bears in NJ I am more afraid of because they are so use to humans and our habitats that they learn not to fear us as much. Up in the Catskills the black bears want nothing to do with you and leave when they know you are there providing the encounter was not close. I will have to pay attention when out at the gorge from now on and learn to fish where he is not and also look for signs that he was about like fresh scat or fresh bear foot prints. I would have loved to seen this animal from a safe distance with my camera and a zoom lens. Like I said before he really was a beautiful Bear, but the encounter was to close for comfort and because I was scared. Glad to hear this Bear has not become problematic. Either he will eventually leave or he has struck a food gold mine and will stick around until the food supply has run out. Bears do like to roam so he should in some period of time move on. Long as the Bear does not cause trouble and threaten Humans then we should see this Bear back again sometime in the future.

 

[AKSkim]

I would have loved to seen this animal from a safe distance with my camera and a zoom lens.

Better yet.. with a scope !

 

[Corndog]

Some people spend a little to much time worrying about bears, when the locals are the real threat. :flasher:

Andy, don't run away when you see a bear. You could be the first. You would be famous. I can see the headlines now...

Famous Wet Fly Tyer and Avid Fly Fisherman Andy B Found Mauled by a Jersey Black Bear in the First Ever Black Bear Attack in NJ.

Andy B, Famous Wet Fly Tyer will go down in History as the First Human Ever Attached by a NJ Black Bear.

Andy B's Wet Flys Reach Record High. Sold at Auction for 42 Million Each.

Newsdog

 

[NJpatbee]

I missed them on wet flies. Had a two wet fly rig going. I left the house quickly yesterday and forgot to bring my hendrickson wet flies with me. My hits were on yellow Sallies with a Greenwells glory dropper.

Acceptable reason for leaving.

 

[rckrego]

Black bears have very poor eyesight. Due to their myopic affliction, they tend to not notice things unless your scent is on the air. They are deathly afraid of anything that appears big, load and threatening. Usually they take off at break neck speed to escape. At the ranch I used to frequent in MT, the hands would tree black bears at night for fun. 2-4 of them would stand next to each other, hands over their heads and run screaming at the bears. Lickety split up the tree full grown black bears would go.

Of course, out there you wouldn't want to mistakenly do that to grizz....

 

[MACFLY]

Some people spend a little to much time worrying about bears, when the locals are the real threat. :flasher:

Andy, don't run away when you see a bear. You could be the first. You would be famous. I can see the headlines now...

Famous Wet Fly Tyer and Avid Fly Fisherman Andy B Found Mauled by a Jersey Black Bear in the First Ever Black Bear Attack in NJ.

Andy B, Famous Wet Fly Tyer will go down in History as the First Human Ever Attached by a NJ Black Bear.

Andy B's Wet Flys Reach Record High. Sold at Auction for 42 Million Each.

Newsdog

How do you know he would be the first....Maybe there were thousands that have been mauled and the bears ate the evidence...

 

[Simms]

Black bears have very poor eyesight. Due to their myopic affliction, they tend to not notice things unless your scent is on the air. They are deathly afraid of anything that appears big, load and threatening. Usually they take off at break neck speed to escape. At the ranch I used to frequent in MT, the hands would tree black bears at night for fun. 2-4 of them would stand next to each other, hands over their heads and run screaming at the bears. Lickety split up the tree full grown black bears would go.

Of course, out there you wouldn't want to mistakenly do that to grizz....

Jim Shockey would disagree about the statement you made about the black bears having poor vision....And those MT hands, he would tie them up in the tree by their balls, slit their wrists and let the grzzlies go to town...

 

[ChrisR]

Two things we did in bear country out west. Made sure the bear spray was on the waist belt and made noise both on the entrance and egress hikes.

Noise is the safest thing as simply said bears don't want to be around people anymore then people want to be around bears. Bears will attack if you get between them and there food or there young.

In most other circumstances they will not, maybe a bluff charge just to set the tone, bluff charges can be stopping short or nudging you. The thing to do is never look them in the eye and assume a non threating posture. Lie down and cover up.

Fished the snake river with bears for two summers. No issues from either grizz or black bears. In the housing complex we had to haze bears on a regular basis to educate them on this is not the place to be.

Bear spray cast about fifty bucks a canister but for the added security it is well worth the expense. Works well on people too. Heheheh! ; it's 10X's strength pepper spray. It has an effective range of about 20 to 30 ft. Do not expend if you are downwind.

Hope there may be something useful in my ramblings as I just worked a 12hr shift and I'm somewhat braindead.

Tightlines.

 

[AKSkim]

Lie down and cover up.

I'm somewhat braindead.

I agree whole heartly with your second one.

Very bad advice and dangerous.

Black Bears you fight back ...


Unless Andy B is around.. then everyone knows the drill.... SOOoooo Long Andy........

 

[rckrego]

Jim Shockey would disagree about the statement you made about the black bears having poor vision....And those MT hands, he would tie them up in the tree by their balls, slit their wrists and let the grzzlies go to town...

Jim Shockey doesn't sound very nice...

 

[rckrego]

I agree whole heartly with your second one.

Very bad advice and dangerous.

Black Bears you fight back ...


Unless Andy B is around.. then everyone knows the drill.... SOOoooo Long Andy........

The old joke... I don't have to out run the bear, just you!

 

[NJDrew]

Is this why KLG was pretty much empty yesterday? Bears are dangerous, and the fact that there are still no Bears warning signs is borderline negligent imo. Pretty soon some one will get hurt, by the bear or in reaction to the bear and KLG will be closed until they can find & shoot it. I really hate this state sometimes...

 

[Ryan R]

Is this why KLG was pretty much empty yesterday? Bears are dangerous, and the fact that there are still no Bears warning signs is borderline negligent imo. Pretty soon some one will get hurt, by the bear or in reaction to the bear and KLG will be closed until they can find & shoot it. I really hate this state sometimes...

What an over-reaction. KLG is a WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. That bear was exactly where he was supposed to be and doing what bears do- forage for food. And BTW folks, the Division DOES NOT care to hear every time someone saw a bear upclose, expecially in a WMA. As they told me the other week, unless it's aggressive to humans we don't really care. Bears are out there in many of our WMAs so be aware and act accordingly.

 

[Ryan R]

Jim Shockey would disagree about the statement you made about the black bears having poor vision....And those MT hands, he would tie them up in the tree by their balls, slit their wrists and let the grzzlies go to town...

No, I don't think he would. I watch his show, helluva hunter and outfitter. The bear standing up in front of him in the opening credits shows this too and he's talked about bears having poor eyesight. Upon encountering a bear, a lot of people confuse the actions of a bear standing up in front of them as a sign of aggression. It's usually not the case, the bear is usually trying to figure out what the heck you are. Of course, if the wind was taking your scent towards it, the bear would more than likely take off long before you ever saw it.

 

[Simms]

I have seen him on multiple shows explaing a bears eye sight is not as bad as people think it is. As for the Montana hands, he would most certainly object to them performing such acts...he would have the TC Encore up there arses before they even knew it

 

[bkill]

Bears have been in the KLG on a regular basis for over 10 years now...The state occasionally sets traps in the KLG to record the weight, height and health of the bears...Bears are all over NW NJ, just get used to them...I love the fact that there are bears in the Gorge, my yard and surrounding woods..They should be there...We do need to ensure their population isnt beyond the carrying capacity of the land but to not have bears roaming freely in our woods would be just as bad as not having trout swimming in our streams...

We dont need signs, we just need people to act intelligent and be educated about our wildlife....

 

[Ryan R]

I have seen him on multiple shows explaing a bears eye sight is not as bad as people think it is. As for the Montana hands, he would most certainly object to them performing such acts...he would have the TC Encore up there arses before they even knew it

Well yeah, they're not exactly blind but they don't see all that well. I've never heard him say they see real well, that's for sure. They pick up movement, if you're quiet and motionless they usually have a tough time figuring out what the heck you are, even up pretty close. Their nose is incredible, far better than a bloodhounds for comparison. Bears have been documented that were able to scent the differing contents of unopened canned goods!

 

[Simms]

I love seeing black bears while im out in the woods. Early bow season last year I was surrounded by 12 of them at our club in Blairistown. It was incredible. PLEASE, keep reporting back with bear sightings! PLEASE! If it means it will keep people out of the gorge, than im all for it! Especially those dog walkers who insist on letting their muts swim in the river, twenty yards up from where your fishing!

 

[AKSkim]

We dont need signs....

I fail to see where they would do any good anyway.

Bears can't read to begin with.

 

[NJDrew]

What an over-reaction. KLG is a WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. That bear was exactly where he was supposed to be and doing what bears do- forage for food. And BTW folks, the Division DOES NOT care to hear every time someone saw a bear upclose, expecially in a WMA. As they told me the other week, unless it's aggressive to humans we don't really care. Bears are out there in many of our WMAs so be aware and act accordingly.

I think my post may have been misinterpreted. I’m not over reacting, nor am I against any bear inhabitance of WMAs or all of NJ for that matter. I’m merely giving you my predictions on how this could turn out.

Bears are out there in many of our WMAs so be aware and act accordingly.

We dont need signs, we just need people to act intelligent and be educated about our wildlife....

So without signs or any type of notification, how exactly are people suppose to be aware? By not making any effort to make people aware, they are not only endangering people, but the wildlife in those areas as well.

 

[bkill]

So without signs or any type of notification, how exactly are people suppose to be aware? By not making any effort to make people aware, they are not only endangering people, but the wildlife in those areas as well.

Drew,

Should we put up signs warning people that there are sharks and jelly fish living in the Atlantic? Or Beware Lighting during thunderstorms? Bears are resident animals of NJ..They have been in the NJ landscape before any of us were born...If you venture into the woods, you may encounter bears, deer, ticks, snakes and numerous other creatures. Just as you enter into a mall you will encounter salespeople, clothing and cash registers...It should be a given...

People completely overreact when it comes to bears..They are just as afraid of you than you are of them...I dont think there has ever been a documented case of a bear killing someone in NJ...You have a better chance of being attacked by a shark or struck by lightning...

The state has signs posted at local campgrounds and picnic areas...I dont think we need to post them at WMAs....