Bears, Bears, everywheres !

[DRIFTER]

Up until about three or four years ago, there were no bears to speak of in Otsego county. Delaware, yes.....Adirondacks, of course, but not here and I've been around the area since 1962!!! I recently wrote about a bear in my garden and more recently a cub running by the front of my house, today I went to a town event and people were showing their assortment of recent bear sighting pictures. I've had them walking up my driveway last year and all my neighbors have had visits over the past year or so........would anyone know the from where and why's of it all, I'd love to know!

[ADKHUNTER]

Don't know the where's and why's of how they got there but it sure does explain the opening of your area to rifle hunting.

Ed

[backwoodsman]

Neil is to blame,with all the bushwacking he's pushing them out of their natural habitat,heck,Growly's even got a computer.

[chairrock]

Naw, it is the towns closing their dumps and making the bears forage into populated area,maybe.

[Lute Hawkins]

Time for a commercial break...


Otsego county fun fact #1: "Otsego" is derived from the Indian word for "place of the rock". Why that particular rock is important, I don't know.

Otsego county fun fact #2: The county has 91 listed cemetaries! This is a boon for people who like alot of options.

Otsego county fun fact #3: According to U.S. census data for the year 2000, there were 81 single men for every 100 single women; in Wyoming county, there were 139 single men for every 100 single women. This suggests (to me) that Otsego county women are less attractive than Wyoming county women.

Otsego county fun fact #4: You will know you are in Otsego county when you pass a sign that looks like this:

(Note: the man in the picture may or may not still be there.)

Ok, back to the regularly scheduled thread!

[sp_nyp]

I know the bear population in the southern tier as been rapidly increasing due to the overgrowth of old farms that are no longer in use. All that farm land grows into nice thick bushy bear habitat.

then from the old farms it is only a short stroll to the neighbor's bird feeder... or the local parks, schools, business districts.

[chairrock]

How many towns still have open dumps that encourage "DUMP BEARS?"
I know Long Lake has turned their dump into a transfer station where the bears go hungry, any other towns have the same or still the open dumps?

[ADKHUNTER]

I was under the impression that all the landfills in the state are now closed.

ED

[sp_nyp]

I believe many of the smaller 'dumps' or 'landfills' are closed. I know the one in my hometown is now a transfer station.

There is at least one large one runnning, Seneca Meadows. You may have seen it in the news over the past month or so. It is part of the whole "trucks in upstate ny" issue.

Garbage trucks hauling from NYC non-stop to the landfill. I have been stuck behind many of these pleasant smelling trucks on my way to my parents' place.

...anyway, yeah, the seneca meadow landfill is actuall quite enormous. At the rate that place is growing, I am sure it will be in the top 46 peaks in no time ;-)

http://www.senecameadows.com/Landfill.html

[DRIFTER]

I know the bear population in the southern tier as been rapidly increasing due to the overgrowth of old farms that are no longer in use. All that farm land grows into nice thick bushy bear habitat.

then from the old farms it is only a short stroll to the neighbor's bird feeder... or the local parks, schools, business districts.

My particular town used to be heavy dairy farm country, now there are maybe two left that come to mind. Most of that land however, was cut up into smaller pieces and sold off. Around 1990 I had no neighbors, now cars, bicyclists and joggers abound so I'm not sure that would make for pristine bear conditions?? As for dumps closing, I have no knowledge one way or the other of bear area one's that have closed that would have contributed to them moving here. As for Lutes premise that Otsego County has unattractive single woman, I would comment, but I'm afraid of them! http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/b.../11/moolah.jpg

[colden46]

There is at least one large one runnning, Seneca Meadows.

Yeah, I've been by that place, it is enormous.

I love how they give it a pleasant-sounding name, Seneca Meadows. Suburban housing developments do the same thing. I wonder if there's a connection there