Bears or Mountain Lions in Timberon (Roswell, Ruidoso: house, live, fence)
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So last night around midnight, our dog started barking like crazy. It was her alert bark, usually meaning someone's dog was in our yard without her permission, or someone driving by the house slowly.
My husband got up to see what the commotion was about. A black bear was wandering through our yard Came through the front yard, checked out the dog food, and lumbered off out the back yard.
Fortunately, we didn't have any trash outside. Our neighbors weren't so lucky. I guess the bear was making the rounds, because their trash was all tore up and scattered.
I've lived here 4 years and I only saw a bear one other time, and that was outside of Timberon, around the Sacramento turn-off.
Bears are a BIG issue right now in Otero County. Had to deal with one a couple of weeks ago and have a call pending on 2 in one location near High Rolls.
It has been weeks since I have not seen either a bear or fresh bear sign here on the mountain on a daily basis.
Best way to keep them away is to stop feeding the birds, hummingbirds etc. bring all of your pet food in at night, keep your trash locked up until pickup day, keep your neighbors from putting out corn for the deer etc.
If you have one that is being a pest try spraying a 50/50 solution of amonia and water around the area. That frequenly works well.
Rubber ball rounds in a shotgun also work well but you have to be pretty close to use them.
An electric fence with a good charger will also work in alot of cases. Run one wire about 6" above the ground, 1 wire a foot above that and a 3rd a foot above that one.
Good luck to you
Severe drought conditions are causing wildlife to roam farther away from their natural habitat this year, in search of both food and water. Black bears in Roswell are NOT normal, but it's been reported this year, and it's presumed they migrated from the Lincoln Nat Forest.
mtncat: Thanks - good info! I don't normally store my trash outdoors (we have a community dumpster) but I do have bird feeders. My dog was successful at chasing that one bear off, but I sure wouldn't want her to tangle with one that was angry or protecting cubs.
joqua: I was wondering about that. So this is more bear activity than normal.
Word is, our midnight bear hit a couple other homes, broke a screen at a house down the road, and actually got in to a friend of ours' home. It was captured and relocated.
Kudos to the 'bear wranglers'
joqua: I was wondering about that. So this is more bear activity than normal.
Depends on where you live or are referring to specifically I suppose. The Ruidoso area is plagued by bears every summer and it's hard to say if it's worse this year or not. I haven't seen or heard anything to suggest "worse."
People (including my sister one time) have bears get into their homes, cars, storage sheds etc. all the time here. I had a bear cross the "fitness trail" about 30 ft in front of me last summer. I just stood still and hoped it didn't catch my scent.
Our Game and Fish Dpartment folks do a great job in dealing with the bear issues. Glad they were able to get him caught.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RanchoNan
Word is, our midnight bear hit a couple other homes, broke a screen at a house down the road, and actually got in to a friend of ours' home. It was captured and relocated.
Kudos to the 'bear wranglers'
Speaking of traveling bears, there is an interesting article in today's news about a mountain lion that was killed by a car in Connecticut that has been identified as having been born in South Dakota! By coincidence, DNA from its hairs had been collected in 2009/2010 as it passed through midwestern states.
Quote:
This mountain lion's trip was the longest one documented for a mountain lion and quite possibly the longest undertaken by a mammal in North America, said DEEP wildlife biologist Paul Rego.
I saw that on the news this morning - Amazing!
It reminded me of an old Disney movie, Charlie The Lonesome Cougar
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Came through the front yard, checked out the dog food, and lumbered off out the back yard. 
It was captured and relocated.
