Posted by AC on July 23, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"It's our policy. Death to you." How damned shameful. They can't afford to tranq them and give them a ride to Vail or something? God forbid we should see an animal.

Posted by MicMacGirl on July 23, 2008 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wish they would kill more rattlesnacks....

Posted by tplboulder on July 23, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

46th Avenue? Is that in Denver? Check your facts!!!

Posted by Freefallin on July 23, 2008 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a shame that they only give the wildlife once to change behavior when it is lazy human actions that attract the animals. The state and local officials should take notes from one of the federal programs that has been successful. Yellowstone, I think, is using negative reenforcement techniques to scare bears from developed areas with tremendous success. A Tranquilizer is not really negative reenforcement- the animal figures it fell asleep. Using beanbags, trained dogs, etc... really scare the bejezus out of the animals and tells them that they should avoid that area.

Posted by tfitzjake on July 23, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

When are you going to start shipping out the stupid people that put out their trash that attracts the bears?

Posted by trappist99 on July 23, 2008 at 10:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

They should allow more off leash dogs into the Open Space round South Boulder to disturb the wildlife. Dogs have been used to protect villages from wildlife for millenia.

The idiots at OSMP create corridors down which bears and lions travel unhindered then act surprised and shoot them when they turn up in town.

I have absolutely no respect for the OSMP lackies and their FOBOS masters.

Posted by jrod on July 23, 2008 at 10:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with Freefallin. Why do we have to kill an animal that hasn't harmed anyone. That's just lazy. Sure a bear has the potential to hurt someone but if you teach it that it's dangerous to be in town then it will stop coming to town. Why is death always an acceptable solution for human problems?

Posted by japhy on July 24, 2008 at 12:49 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by lynn_segal_aka_lds on July 24, 2008 at 1:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

trappist--

better yet, why not let the wild animals protect the wilds from DOGS????!!!

Grizzley's may kill. These black and brown bears don't.

The Dept. of Wildlife are a bunch of lackies. They had the nerve to show up at city council on the compost issue and recommend against the separation of compost from trash for the reason that bears would be more tempted into domestic areas and become threatened with euthanasia.(By them). Therefore, it would hurt the bears to divide compost. Their logic astounds me. I don't think the bear cares if the compost is in trash or separated, in fact he might like tearing things apart anyway. So because of the DOW scaring CC, now when it came to 2nd reading Tue., the CC was bouncing all over the place according to KGNU, and delayed it all over again. Meanwhile the methane in the landfills multiplies logarhythmically as a consequence, increasing our greenhouse gases, which would be significantly reduced by separating the compost. That hurts man.

Apparently DOW -- the bears are gonna come anyway.

And it's your paranoia that needs to be addressed. Department of "Wildlife", my FOOT.

LEAVE THE BEARS ALONE!!!!!

Your kind of security is B***S***!!!!

Murderers!!! As if mother bear didn't have enough grief, losing her baby to electrocution also because of man, I'm guessing!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by FrictionSoul on July 24, 2008 at 4:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

But trash is a huge problem Lynn. It smells better to the bears. It's interesting. The bear problem is a human problem.

I have a friend on the HIll, close to Chautaugua, with a huge blackberry and blueberry vine. He used to have a bear problem 30 years ago. Never reported it. I would think the bears would get habituated enough to keep coming back.

They actually used to, but now it's been about 8 years since the bears have shown up for a late berry snack. They go straight to the trash, so, DOW has every right to address the compost issue.

My friend has lived on the Hill his entire life, 60+ years, and never had a problem with the bears. Neither did his parents before him. It's all about the trash.

The other thing about bears is they don't forget. They keep coming back to trash. Compost is yummy enough to have made them forget about the berries. Weird.

Same thing in Yosemite in the 70's and 80's: anything left in the coolers inside cars guranteed your car would be destroyed; and if you left the cooler empty yet spotless? Bear would rip up your car just to see what was in the cooler. It's insane.

Once you start down the path of bear and trash you can't wheel it back around. It's unfortunate that the bears are to suffer and not the people who trashed the bears

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 5:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

protest anyone?

Posted by soxfan on July 24, 2008 at 6:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was a spectator to the way the DOW and other agencies handled the Bear during her visit on July 14. They did a fine job, were very patient and protective of the bear. They monitered the situation well, and sat for about 8 hours until dusk, at which time the bear came down and returned up to the hills. The last thing they wanted to do was harm the animal. They did acknowledge that if the Bear returned to the same location again it would be classified as habitual (it had already been re-located 50 miles northwest). There was a pretty large amount of resources allocated toward protecting her, and my first person account illustrated a professional approach from both county and state officials.

Posted by trappist99 on July 24, 2008 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hi japhy, haven't heard from you for a long time, should perhaps point out that my name isn't Katz

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 6:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

soxfan...of course the DOW put on quite a show for all of you spectators...I have been witness to this as well..the REAL show, of course, is when they put the bullet to her head. But you did not get to witness this did you?

Posted by wiseone on July 24, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This sucks!

Posted by xofbenna on July 24, 2008 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NPR did a piece on a ranger in Mammoth who is called "the Bear Whisperer" Check it out everyone! http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...
I hope everyone who tiptoes around and takes a Kodak moment with bears and mountain lions realizes they are really training these animals not to be fearful, and eventually causing their death.

Posted by siggy1123 on July 24, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

They should have tried one more time and put her further into the wilderness. What a shame.

Posted by meatpieandtatters on July 24, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Couldn't they just have tazed the crap out of it rather than kill it?

Posted by billy_goat_gruff on July 24, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Trappist, or should I say Michael Katz, FIDOS head flunky, no one has any respect for you or your unbelievable arrogant, entitled, self righteous crap either"

Well, maybe a couple of people. A little bit.

Posted by t.pull on July 24, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

pretty sad.

Posted by soxfan on July 24, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Uggh, just_ice, a bit dramatic. No, I did not see "the man" putting cold metal to sister Brown Bear.

Look, I am not a shill for government agencies by any means and can rant about mopes at TSA and the local dog leash patrol equally. That's what compelled me to comment, as the event played out pretty much in my yard, so I saw that the multiple agencies worked together, systematically and professionally (including the usual ton of paper and reporting that is needed nowadays). It was not a show; rather it was trained individuals doing their jobs.

Posted by umtanum on July 24, 2008 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The City of Anchorage would sound like Iwo Jima if they had the same policy as the DOW, and they have grizzlies.

Why can they exist with bears but Boulderoids can't?

Posted by mtbjune on July 24, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am very disappointed with how the DOW handled this situation. What if we treated the "transients" of Boudler with the same disregard as the communities wildlife? One chance is all you get and your done.

Seems that the DOW wanted the easy way out and was too lazy to deal with the animal...shame, shame.

Posted by edwizer26 on July 24, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sad and lame.

Posted by chucklehead on July 24, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Can I shoot the next one? We should have a lottery. I have a great place to protest animal death...the front of my car, so many dead bugs you people could have a week long sit in!

Posted by Twinma on July 24, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"When are you going to start shipping out the stupid people that put out their trash that attracts the bears?

Ditto. How about starting to fine these drugged up idiotic boulderites for leaving their trash out? I can't believe you kill an animal that does what it naturally is supposed to do.

Posted by nrm1027 on July 24, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lynn needs to check the facts, black bears do kill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...

I'm not saying I agree in the handling of this situation, but to say a black bear cannot kill is completely ridiculous.

I also think everyone is being a little too harsh on the DOW. Is their goal really to eradicate all bears in Boulder County? I doubt it. Are they trying to mitigate any potential human-bear encounters? Probably. How to do so, it will take someone smarter than I.

The key is learning to live with these animals, because we all need to learn share the land and co-exist.

Posted by boulderlover on July 24, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

:(

Posted by springerwannab on July 24, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm so SICK of reading about the DOW killing yet another animal! Do they ever SAVE any???

Posted by rlopesino on July 24, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

How about enforcing stricter trash regulations, with fines for habitual offenders who leave trash unprotected or improperly dispose of waste?

You leave your trash out two times and the DOW takes YOU to Larimer county :)

Posted by Gambrinus on July 24, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Murderers!!! As if mother bear didn't have enough grief, losing her baby to electrocution also because of man, I'm guessing!!!!!!!!!!!"

I can't decide if that's meant as a serious statement or a troll.

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

soxfan...no drama here, just the plain hard truth. And you only want to discuss all of the "sugary" stuff...make no mistake, what you saw was a show, for the public spectators; "see how nice we are...we don't REALLY want to kill her...BUT we will eventually...see how we care?" Was it you then, that alerted them to the bear in your yard? No matter, the bottom line is she is dead, and sorry, it was a bullet to her precious little head...because she was hungry (or maybe she was still looking for her electrocuted cub). Regardless of how these government entities were orchestrating this dance of deception it still brings us back to the sad reality; dead bears.

Posted by FidelC on July 24, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Now everyone gripes about those who leave trash out. These are probably the same people who were calling the trash "compost" yesterday, and griping that it needs to be sitting on the curb all week. Make up your minds.

The DOW needs to relocate bears further away. 50 miles into Larimer county isn't exactly remote.

Posted by nrm1027 on July 24, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

springer

You don't hear about the DOW saving animals because it does not incite 30+ comments online.

Posted by mountaingoods on July 24, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Later...

Posted by pluppa on July 24, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Is someone going to use the bear meat for food? Or are we going to just waste this life entirely?

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

springer; you don't hear about the Division of Wildlife saving animals because that is not their job. they are hired to MANAGE wildlife in order to keep the hunting and fishing industry ($$ for Colorado) alive and kickin'...this government agengy depends heavily on the sales of these licenses as revenue. John Koehler of DOW said so himself! He also said that whenever wildlife is is found to be attracted to homes because of trash etc., these folks are "heavily" fined...he said $1200.00 fines. Anybody hearing about this?

Posted by DianeMad on July 24, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Instead of having the "two strikes you are out" (or rather executed) for innocent wildlife, why don't we do that with child molesters? That would make sense. This bear wasn't any threat. The people of Boulder need to stop sitting on their fat (oh, I guess in Boulder it is skinny) butts and do something about this.

Posted by Doc_Brinkley on July 24, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Better to have put Mama Bear in a zoo, and have shot the violent drunks instead.

Posted by mcman on July 24, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lots of armchair quarterbacks chiming in on this one.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

When I was working on a mine site in Cook City, MT black bears roamed around town all of the time and there were never incidents of bears attacking people.

The people of Boulder like to think they are environmentally friendly, but when actual wildlife shows up, they call in the authorities to kill it.

Not sure Boulder has figured out how to deal with wildlife yet. Proabably because most people in Boulder are from the city and really don't understand nature. Just like to think they do.

Another big clue that most people are from the city in Boulder is that these people want open space right up to their back door but think that wildlife understands property boundries.

A good strategy that actually works to keep out wild animals is to pee often (many times a week) along the borders or your property. That method actually helped keep bears away from my uncle's hunting cabin.

Posted by Dick_Tater on July 24, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I heard her porridge was too cold.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Other useful tricks for scaring away bears are roaring campfires and the smoke that come with them and lot's of noise from banging on pots and pans and dogs barking.

Trappist is right, Bears want nothing to do with loud and stinky humans and will get the message pretty quickly. Raccoons on the other hand could care less.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Much of the human species has lost touch with the workings of nature.

Posted by lynn_segal_aka_lds on July 24, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lighteningrose

Logirhythmically, and actually I am a pretty good speller. I knew that looked wrong. Check with Eric Lombardi with Ecocycle and he can tell you details on the magnitude of the contribution of methane to GHG's, which obviously apparently is not on the radar of the DOW.

And black and brown are much less likely to kill.

Posted by winedunce on July 24, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was also a spectator on July 14th on Miami Way. The DOW said that this bear was attracted to the bird feeders. I didn't realize that was also an issue. I am heartbroken that they killed her. I wish they had called the Wildlife Sanctuary in Keensburg -- they save bears and other animals at risk. That place is amazing.

Posted by flabuff227 on July 24, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This pisses me off! Relocate the bear again and again! Don't kill it.

Posted by Dunkterfunk on July 24, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To jadam12:

I completely agree with you. If you are going to live right up against nature you need to live with the consequences. Your kids can't play outside unattended when they are 7 years old. Comes with the territory.

Not too mention I love peeing outside. Gotta mark my territory from time to time.

Posted by aileeJ on July 24, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

50 miles is not far enough when recorded excursions can be up to and over 100 miles. Taken her only 50 miles away was a death sentence.

Posted by Mtn_Girl on July 24, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What a sad situation. This is the 5th bear the DOW has put down this year. Last year the number was 63!

Stupid human behavior is killing these bears. Protest against stupid humans, not the DOW. The DOW puts in a lot of time, money and resources into their Bear Aware program, and still people leave their trash out, feed the bears, and fail to grasp the sad reality that they are the ones who are indirectly killing these beautiful animals...by being stupid!

Please educate your neighbors and let them know what they can do to prevent these senseless killings.

For more info, visit:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/bears

You will find information on keeping bears where they belong as well as:

Bear Aware Window Sticker
Living with Bears
Bear-proofing Your Home
Keep Bears Wild Pledge and Home Checklist
Attracting Birds, Not Bears
Bear-resistant Trash Containers

You could protest the DOW, but IMHO education of your human neighbors is the key to keeping these bears alive.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I forgot to mention. If a bear comes into your yard, shine a bright spotlight on it while making lots of noise and it will go away pretty soon as well.

Posted by lasergod on July 24, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

LightningRose,
The bear was a mother and presumably not gay. Shouldn’t you be bashing the dad of the cub for someone else’s personal agenda instead of playing professor know it all?

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Turn your spotlights on em and pee in their yard and see what happens.

I finally get what you have been saying about noise. It sounds like you have an inordinant amount of house construction next door. That can really be a bummer.

Posted by MicMacGirl on July 24, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

People need to put their garbage in their garages...even if it's smelly.

And can't they change the strike rule? For example, to a few strikes and treatening and/or agressive behavior has to be present?

Posted by chucklehead on July 24, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Does a single idiot on this board have any proof of garbage being left out?

Posted by Mtn_Girl on July 24, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

from what I understand, this sow's cub was electrocuted by an electric fence - near the dumpster he was diving in - what do you think the bears are coming to Boulder for? The shopping?

Posted by chucklehead on July 24, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

oh right, animals don't roam or migrate...

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

where is there an electric fence in south boulder? one that would have the power to kill bears is probably strong enough to kill dogs, cats, little kids...WTF? ummmmmm, hellooooo?

Posted by dklein7 on July 24, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MicMacGirl,
If they kill more rattlesnakes you would say, I wish they would kill more mice or prairie dogs.

Posted by Mtn_Girl on July 24, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Apparently, the cub was killed when he climbed up a power pole and got hit by a wire, not by an electric fence, as I was told.

"The cub reportedly climbed up a power pole in south Boulder and possibly bit a wire. The cub then fell on a residential fence below, and a neighbor called police to report the dead animal."

Posted by just_ice on July 24, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

turbopotato...you should take better care of your dogs. put your gun away and sit down and be quiet.

Posted by Mtn_Girl on July 24, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just a few minutes of Internet research will show you exactly what these bears are up to, and it ain't all cute and fuzzy.

They are all on the hunt, for food. They need 10,000 to 20,000 calories a day, and they don't care where it comes from. The easier the better. Your garbage, your dog food, even your cat are fair game.

They will break into your car for food and they don't care that you are still making payments on it.

They will come uninvited to your BBQ, and they will walk right in your door when you are making dinner.

They know when garbage day is in your neighborhood.

It is a sad thing, to have to put down an animal, especially a mother bear who just lost her cub, so let's make a point of trying to discourage them from visiting.

Put your garbage inside and get up early to put it out, instead of putting it out the night before.

Clean and store your BBQ correctly.

Don't feed your dogs outside.

Close your garage door.

Don't leave food in your car.

EDUCATE YOUR FRIENDS and NEIGHBORS.

Visit the DOW website and learn more about what you can do to prevent these beautiful animals from becoming dependent on people and their garbage.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/bears

Posted by lynn_segal_aka_lds on July 24, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lightningrose

Methane is 72 times more potent than CO2 over a 20 yr. period. Methane production results from the anaerobic bacteria breakdown of compostible organics when they are mixed with regular trash. NOT when they are separated and mixed with other organic yard waste and made into useful soil. The regular trash is then subject to aerobic breakdown.

That is better for humans and bears.

As it is we are harming both, and I don't think DOW is taking climate change effects into account. They should be.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TP states: "stupid condescending liberals"

Oh yeah. Now I remember, you were that guy who shot a bear because you always left your dog tied up outside in the mountains.

I feel sorry for the dog, because the dog had no chance. I don't feel sorry for you.

Posted by jadam12 on July 24, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The bear got the wrong animal.

Posted by DianeMad on July 24, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All of you people who are posting here - why don't you get off or your arses and work to change the "two strikes" you are out law. It stinks! Surely there is a way for the people of Boulder to see that this stupidity and cruelty is eliminated.

Posted by crazy4cheese on July 24, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I bet the bear is a Republican too.

Posted by lynn_segal_aka_lds on July 24, 2008 at 11:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Criticism accepted.

So we agree about the trade-offs?

Posted by chrishay on July 25, 2008 at 7:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

larimer county isn't far enough for relocation!
sure wish there was more compassion in this county.

stacy hay

Posted by jadam12 on July 26, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TurboPotato: My family has hunted and fished for food all of our lives too. My great grandfather owned a butcher shop and well all know how to prepare and skin an animal after it's been shot. I have venison in my freezer right now.

Though, we would never be so stupid as to bait bears and predators by leaving our dogs tied up outside in the woods.

How does my name say anything other than it being a play on an the old TV show, "Emergency 51?"