Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3713 June 9-22 2018 | Page 7

June 8 - 22, 2018 VOL.37 • ISS. 13 Hey Dan! — Letters To The Editor COVER STORY 7 Established 1982 What’s on your mind? Do you have something you’d like to share with us and our readers? A picture... a story... a question to ask, or an answer to another? Let’s hear your compliments, or your gripes! Whatever it is, send it to: HEY, DAN!, c/o Fish Sniffer Publications, The Fish Sniffer - P.O. Box 776, Colfax, CA 95713, or you can now e-mail it at [email protected]. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return of pictures or text. Thanks! California Black Bears are on the Move Hey Dan! California’s black bears are active and hun- gry after a period of hunkering down through the winter. As a reminder, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) encourages people to help reduce unwanted encounters with this large mammal by being “bear aware.” People who visit or live in bear country can take actions that promote responsi- ble behavior and safe co-existence with bears. Black bears are the only bear species in California. They generally prefer mountainous areas and natural habitat. However, as more people visit parks and wilderness areas and choose to live in or near bear habitat, some bears may become used to the presence of people and as a result display less shy and avoidant behavior. “Over the years, reported human-bear con- flicts have increased significantly,” said Vicky Monroe, CDFW’s Wildlife Conflict Programs Coordinator. “Each spring and summer we receive numerous calls from the public report- ing anything from black bears eating food off campground picnic tables to bears taking dips in residential swimming pools.” Black bears have a diverse diet and can eat nearly anything, from berries and insects to pet food, human trash and road kill. They also have a highly specialized sense of smell, which can sometimes lead them to enter homes, cab- ins and tents while following their nose (and stomach) to a food source. Local communities and areas of human activity in or around bear habitat can provide a tempting food supply for a hungry bear. However, unwanted and/or destructive bear activity may be significantly reduced or even eliminated, when people are mindful and remember to remove attractants and access to food. Tips for Bear-proofing your Home, Rent- al or Timeshare Bears may venture int o areas of human activity close to bear habitat, in search of food. The best defense against bear break-ins and bears in your yard is to eliminate attractants to your property by following these tips: Purchase and properly use a bear-proof garbage container. Wait to put trash out until the morning of collection day. Do not leave trash, groceries or pet food in your car. Keep garbage cans clean and deodorize them with bleach or ammonia. Keep barbecue grills clean and stored in a garage or shed when not in use. It is advised to not hang bird feeders in bear country. If you must, only do so during November through March and make them inaccessible to bears. Keep in mind bears are excellent climbers. Do not leave any scented products outside, even non-food items such as suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap or candles. Keep doors and windows closed and locked when unoccupied. Consider installing motion-detector alarms and/or electric fencing. Harvest fruit off trees as soon as it is ripe, and promptly collect fruit that falls. Bring pets in at night. Provide safe and secure quarters for livestock at night. Consider composting bins as opposed to open composting. Securely block access to potential hiberna- tion sites such as crawl spaces under decks and buildings. Do not spray bear spray around property – when it dries, it can serve as an attractant. Do not feed deer or other wildlife – this will attract bears to your property. Tips for Bear Proofing your Campsite Maintaining a clean campsite is the respon- sible and safe thing to do when visiting bear country. Here are a few tips for bear proofing your campsite: Haul garbage out of camp regularly – check with camp host or other camp personnel about safe garbage storage. Use bear lockers if available. Store food (including pet food) and toilet- ries in bear-proof containers or in an airtight container in the trunk of your vehicle if bear lockers are not available. In some areas, food storage in the trunk is not advisable. Check with camp or park personnel. Clean dishes and store food and garbage immediately after meals. Clean your grill after each use. Never keep food or toiletries in your tent. Change out of clothes you cooked in before going to bed. Do not clean fish in camp. Do not leave pets unattended in camp or sleeping outside. If in the backcountry, store food in a bear-resistant food canister. Use bear resistant ice chests (some juris- dictions will only allow ice chests that are approved as bear resistant) Tips for Hiking in Bear Country Bears may react defensively if your pres- ence is not known – make noise while hiking. Talk loudly or whistle. If possible, travel with a group of people. Avoid thick brush and walk with the wind at your back so your scent is ahead of you. Watch for bear sign along trails – scat, tracks and stripped bark off trees. Avoid sites where dead animal carcasses are observed. If you see a bear, avoid it and give it the opportunity to avoid you. Leash dogs while hiking in bear country – dogs can s urprise and aggravate bears – bringing the bear back to you when the dog flees from the bear. Black Bear Safety Reminders Black bear behavior is not always predict- able. Human-bear attacks are rare in Cali- fornia; however, they do occur. There is no single safety strategy applicable to every bear encounter. Individual bears can display varying levels of tolerance and temperament. Prevention is better than confrontation. Keep as much distance as possible between you and the bear. Share this information with your children. Make sure they know to tell you if they see a bear in the area. Be Bear Aware. Black Bear Encounters These are general guidelines based on research by wildlife managers and scientists, intended to help keep you safe in the event of a black bear encounter. Keep in mind that safety tips for grizzly bears are not the same as for black bear. California does not have grizzly bears. If a bear breaks into your home, do not confront the bear. Most bears will quickly look for an escape route. Move away to a safe place. Do not block exit points. If the bear does not leave, call 911. If you encounter a bear in your yard, chanc- es are it will move on if there is nothing for the bear to forage. If there is enough distance between you and the bear, you can encourage the bear to leave by using noisemakers or blowing a whistle. If you encounter a bear while hiking and it does not see you. Back away and increase your distance. Clap hands or make noise so the bear knows you are there and will move on. If you encounter a bear on the trail and it sees you. Do not make eye contact. Back away, do not run. Let the bear know you are not a threat. Give it a chance to leave. If a bear approaches you, make yourself look bigger by lifting and waving arms. Use noisemakers, or yell at the bear. If small children are present, keep them close to you. .Carry and know how to use bear spray as a deterrent. In the event of a black bear attack, it is usually recommended to fight back. How- ever, each situation is different. Prevention is the key. For more information about black bear biology please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Con- servation/Mammals/Black-Bear/Biology. ~ Maggie Caldwell, Earthjustice CALIFORNIA-NEVADA EDITION “The No.1 Newspaper Dedicated Entirely To Northern California Sportsmen!” Published By NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ANGLER PUBLICATIONS, INC. The Fish Sniffer P.O. Box 776, Colfax, CA 95713 Toll-Free (833)-347-4661 www.fishsniffer.com CAL KELLOGG’S E-MAIL: [email protected] EDITORIAL E-MAIL: [email protected] FOUNDERS Harold A. (Hal) Bonslett (1937-2000) Winnie A. Bonslett Marc Ries, the California Dawn’s master chef, holds up a massive 25 plus pound San Francisco Bay striped bass that couldn’t lay off a live anchovy during a May live bait potluck trip. As of press time both halibut and striper action are going strong inside the bay. Halibut scores are hovering at about a keeper per rod. Most of those fish range from 22 inch to about 10 pounds, but there are some huge halibut up to 56 pounds in the mix too. Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff. Fishermen will at times see bears when camping, fishing or hiking, so this is very good advice. There are an estimated 35,000 bears in California – and anglers need to be aware of what to do when they encounter them. ~Dan ADVERTISING/MARKETING Paul Kneeland.................Advertising Director Sheldon Bright.............Advertising/Marketing Ernie Marlan.........................Advertising Sales Kit McNear...........................Advertising Sales PRODUCTION Cal Kellogg...................Director of Production Wes Ward........................................Webmaster GENERAL OFFICE Brooke Cyphers..........Administrative Director Daniel Bacher...Conservation, Special Features The Fish Sniffer has a NEW PHONE NUMBER! Contact us Toll Free at 1-833-347-4661 ADDRESS CHANGE FORM MOVING OR MOVED? Send us your new address so we can get your FISH SNIFFER publications coming to your proper address... ON TIME, EVERY TIME! 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