Looks like Fentress Co. is getting a bear season!

[PickettSFHunter]

With or without the TWRA, bear season is coming to Fentress County. And Im glad to see it. If the TWRA doesnt do it in April then a private act with the help of our state representative and county commission will. This is what was discussed at the recent meeting about the subject and what was placed in our local newspaper. Theres nothing we can do about the Big South Fork but its coming to private lands. Im looking forward to the oppurtunity!

 

[Anonymous]

Im glad as well. My cabin is on the border of BSF as you know. The next one that breaks into it and tears the place up is going to die! Im tired of it.

 

[HandGunner480]

Agreed.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Dog hunting or just still hunting?

That all depends. If the TWRA does it, then you know how they are about hounds and hound hunters. If the county commission does it, theres a chance. Will know more in the upcoming months. The overwhelming majority of citizens want them wiped out. So if the private act route is taken, it is expected to be very liberal. That would be bad for anyone wanting to hunt them in the long term, but if its up to the citizens, itll be liberal.

 

[rhinoblake]

That is great news. Does anyone know why the TWRA is being hesitant for opening bear season in fentress scott and campbell? It seems every hunter I know of sees bear and sign. I know for a fact they are reproducing really well and as stated above are taking up residence on private property.

 

[cecil30-30]

I don't think this is a good idea at all...Since when do we want our politicians setting our hunting seasons??? THey all have agenda's to fulfill...Probably in this case,they have a few wealthy friends or contributors who are complaining about bears..Not good at all.

 

[Anonymous]

GOOD LUCK WITH TWRA

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I don't think this is a good idea at all...Since when do we want our politicians setting our hunting seasons??? THey all have agenda's to fulfill...Probably in this case,they have a few wealthy friends or contributors who are complaining about bears..Not good at all.

No its actually pretty much the whole county complaining. I would rather the bears not be wiped out myself but to leave the opinions of the people who actually LIVE in the county and pay taxes out would be non-democratic. This county citizens aint here to appease outsiders, the majority of residents oppinions rules. This is exactly why private acts exist. This county understands much better about what is going on than does someone in Nashville, and if Nashville doesnt act, a private act allows that county to act on its own. To argue against that would be the same as saying "states shouldnt be allowed to make laws seperate of the federal government". But I expect the TWRA to step in anyway and keep that from happening. At least I hope they do or bears are going to be a thing of the past. They just need alittle thinning right now.

 

[blountcountyboy]

This is a prime example of ignorance on the part of humans. When I use the word ignorance I use as lack of knowledge. Bear habitat is shrinking every day and because of good manangement practice on the part of TWRA. The cut down in poaching and bear hunters becoming more educated and doing their part and limiting the number of sows killed the bear population is grown not just in numbers but in their range. It's a fact that Fentress county has just as good habitat for bears as does Sevier, Blount, Monroe and others. However, since the people in this county have no or limited experience with bears their fears will over ride any ability to reason and come to a "happy medium". Bears are nothing more than over sized coons. Yes, they get into garbage cans and if you don't like it get different cans or keep them in the garage. Yes, bears will break the limbs out of any tree that they "lap" in (feeding in the tree) but, most of those trees will come back just fine. If a bear is on your porch eating your bird feeders it's your fault not the bears. If you don't like it crack the door and just say "BOO" and 9 out of 10 times the bear will turn inside out as it's leaving. If it doesn't stick a gun out the window and pop off a shot and if that doesn't work kill it. Plain and simple. A bear isn't the boogy man and they won't molest your wive's and eat your children on the school play ground. If you want liberal seasons (seasons that start of weekends and last for more than 2 days) where bow and hound hunters can smile at one another and go about their day then let the bears range grown. They by the way were here before we were and unless ignorance prevails will be after we are gone. It's called cohabitaion and it's not something that we as "by God" Americans like.

 

[Beekeeper]

I don't think this is a good idea at all...Since when do we want our politicians setting our hunting seasons??? They all have agenda's to fulfill...Probably in this case,they have a few wealthy friends or contributors who are complaining about bears..Not good at all.

We definitely do not need politicians making laws or decisions where wildlife is concerned. The TWRA has qualified people that make decisions based on what is best for the resource and the hunter.


If it were not for the TWRA we wouldn't have as many hunting opportunities in TN as we do.

 

[trealtree]

Mob Rule is never a good idea. imho.


On second thought, it is sometimes a good idea, but not in this situation.

 

[Beekeeper]

Mob Rule is never a good idea. imho.


On second thought, it is sometimes a good idea, but not in this situation.

Yep.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a prime example of ignorance on the part of humans. When I use the word ignorance I use as lack of knowledge. Bear habitat is shrinking every day and because of good manangement practice on the part of TWRA. The cut down in poaching and bear hunters becoming more educated and doing their part and limiting the number of sows killed the bear population is grown not just in numbers but in their range. It's a fact that Fentress county has just as good habitat for bears as does Sevier, Blount, Monroe and others. However, since the people in this county have no or limited experience with bears their fears will over ride any ability to reason and come to a "happy medium". Bears are nothing more than over sized coons. Yes, they get into garbage cans and if you don't like it get different cans or keep them in the garage. Yes, bears will break the limbs out of any tree that they "lap" in (feeding in the tree) but, most of those trees will come back just fine. If a bear is on your porch eating your bird feeders it's your fault not the bears. If you don't like it crack the door and just say "BOO" and 9 out of 10 times the bear will turn inside out as it's leaving. If it doesn't stick a gun out the window and pop off a shot and if that doesn't work kill it. Plain and simple. A bear isn't the boogy man and they won't molest your wive's and eat your children on the school play ground. If you want liberal seasons (seasons that start of weekends and last for more than 2 days) where bow and hound hunters can smile at one another and go about their day then let the bears range grown. They by the way were here before we were and unless ignorance prevails will be after we are gone. It's called cohabitaion and it's not something that we as "by God" Americans like.

Well said

X2

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think this is a good idea at all...Since when do we want our politicians setting our hunting seasons??? They all have agenda's to fulfill...Probably in this case,they have a few wealthy friends or contributors who are complaining about bears..Not good at all.

We definitely do not need politicians making laws or decisions where wildlife is concerned. The TWRA has qualified people that make decisions based on what is best for the resource and the hunter.


If it were not for the TWRA we wouldn't have as many hunting opportunities in TN as we do.

MAYBE YOU DO , IM MISSING SOME THIS YEAR

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Mob rule is certaintly not a good idea for hunters in this situation, certainly not. And like I said I dont want them wiped out, just thinned. BUT at some point we have to realize that theres more to it than just what hunters want. The landowners and people of this county are who has to put up with the bears. The landowners are who has to support them. And no matter how ignorant we as hunters think their opinions on it are, thats still their opinion and they have every right to have it. The meeting at the courthouse had the courtroom jammed packed full of people and it was all opposition.

You also have to understand alittle bit of history on the subject as well. You cant just look from the outside in and call these people ignorant. This county was STRONGLY opposed to the original reintroduction. We already had a few bears before 96. But the reintroduction was went ahead with in direct opposition to the locals. In order to smooth it over, WE WERE PROMISED A SEASON WITHIN 10 YEARS. When that didnt happen, steam started gathering and is now at the boiling point.

One other effect I forgot to mention that has alot of these people upset. Our local economy is very strongly supported by horse riders. These horse riders are in strong opposition to the bears due to negative encounters between horses and bears. Many saying that their horses have gone crazy while trail riding and cmoing into contact with bears. Many horse riders are saying thats why they no longer ride in the park. If less people are coming here to ride, the local economy just gets worse. Joe no longer rents his cabins out as often, that sort of thing. And when Joe hears that his livelihood is being affected by bears, well you can guess where that leads. Right to where we are now. Hard to say that a bear is worth affecting someones livelihood.

 

[Goshen Valley Boy]

Dog hunting or just still hunting?

That all depends. If the TWRA does it, then you know how they are about hounds and hound hunters. If the county commission does it, theres a chance. Will know more in the upcoming months. The overwhelming majority of citizens want them wiped out. So if the private act route is taken, it is expected to be very liberal. That would be bad for anyone wanting to hunt them in the long term, but if its up to the citizens, itll be liberal.

Actually TWRA allows Hounds on most of the Bear hunts we have now. maybe there'll be some kind of quota on the hunt. Black bears are harmless for the most part and shouldn't be whiped out because of fear of the unknown

I totally agree with you that Black Bears shouldn't be wiped out. I think it is very cool that they are making a great come back and reclaiming much of their former territory.

However, don't sell the Black Bear short on being dangerous. They are responsible for far more attacks than Grizzlies. Granted, it is mostly because they live near a lot more population centers, but they are to be respected for sure. Especially bears that have become nuisance in towns since they have lost a lot of fear of humans.

 

[BigGameGuy]

This county understands much better about what is going on than does someone in Nashville, and if Nashville doesnt act, a private act allows that county to act on its own.

Not sure where you get that "Nashville" makes the hunting seasons. Pretty much all of the recommendations come from the people working on the ground in those areas and are most familiar with the resource.

 

[Anonymous]

This county understands much better about what is going on than does someone in Nashville, and if Nashville doesnt act, a private act allows that county to act on its own.

Not sure where you get that "Nashville" makes the hunting seasons. Pretty much all of the recommendations come from the people working on the ground in those areas and are most familiar with the resource.

"RESOURCE" and "WORKING ON THE GROUND" whats that ??? Define them for me please!!! In a biologist terms

 

[Doskil]

Black Bears were never reintroduced to that area.

A real reintroduction was blocked.

A few bears from the Smokies-all females-were turned loose and tracked. I believe they were supposed to be rounded up and taken back to the Smokies but that never happened. So technically there was a reintroduction I guess.

People who have never lived with a big predator like a black bear would say that even a few bears is too many.

In reality the bears should be wiped out. Some areas just do not have the ability to support large predators and humans together.

Releasing those 14 bears back in the 1990s turned out to be a bad idea.

 

[Doskil]

Did You Know?
In the mid-1990's black bear were released in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area to study relocation techniques and to determine whether adequate habitat existed in the area. There are now an estimated 40 - 50 bear living in and around the park.

http://www.nps.gov/biso/naturescience/blackbear.htm