BEAR IN AREA There have been reports of a bear in Pincher Creek along the creek path. Please be bear aware and if you see the bear Please contact Fish & Wildlife 403 627 1116 or 18006423800#PincherCreekpic.twitter.com/CyVBnvlr9z
Government of Alberta - The Government of Alberta has introduced a new policy that will allow wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Alberta to accept orphaned black bear cubs.
RCMP Alberta - On July 2, 2017, at approximately 12:55 PM, the Didsbury RCMP responded to a complaint of a bear attack in the Harold Creek area. A lone male was geo-caching in the Harold Creek area, west of Water Valley, when he encountered a bear. The bear charged the male and attempted to drag him off into the bush. The male was successful in freeing himself from the bear. The male then drove himself to a store in the Water Valley area and met up with Park Rangers. From there, the male was transported by ground ambulance to a Calgary area hospital.
The male suffered what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
The bear has not been located yet. Due to the remote location of the attack, there is no danger to the public at this time. The investigation has been taken over by local Fish and Wildlife.
An update will be provided if new information becomes available.
Warning: some of the images used in this article (below the "read more" line) may be disturbing to some people. Reader discretion is advised.
Any bear or wildlife concerns can be reported to the 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.
Toni Lucas - Two separate Grizzly bear attacks claimed the lives of six sheep from one Twin Butte area property between the dates of July 22 - August 1. Landowner Ron Schmidt called Fish and Wildlife officers after he found one sheep dead on his property on July 22 and again when he found five sheep dead the morning of Sunday, July 31. His property is located ten minutes northeast of Waterton Park, a two minute drive east of Twin Butte in Bear Management Area support zone (BMA 6). The bear was ultimately trapped and euthanized by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers.
RCMP Alberta – On July 19, 2016, at approximately 12:00 pm Cochrane RCMP were called to assist Emergency Medical Services with a possible bear attack near the Trappers Hill Campground. At this time members are arriving on scene. Location and if this was in fact a bear attack have not been confirmed at this time.
Update: The investigation for this event will be taken over by Fish and Wildlife.
Toni Lucas - There were about 50 people of all ages and at least one (stuffed) bear in the woods at Coalfields Community Centre near Beaver Mines on Saturday, June 18 during the Bear Safety Workshop for Ranch Families event. A large stuffed toy bear was hidden in the caragana bushes as part of the demonstration for the kids who attended to show how difficult it is to see wildlife when the wildlife is trying to stay hidden. Inside the community centre speakers made presentations to the adults. All ages were taught how to avoid bear encounters, what to do when you do encounter a bear, how to identify dangerous bear behavior, and how to respond to a variety of bear actions.
Bear captured near Canyon Crescent (Charleen Bruder photos)
Toni Lucas
Fish and Wildlife officers, RCMP, and Town of Pincher Creek Bylaw officers treed and removed a bear from the southwest area of Pincher Creek close to Canyon Crescent at approximately 10:00 am on Thursday, October 1. "It was right at the end of that cul-de-sac, in a poplar tree," said Pincher Creek Fish and Wildlife District Officer Paul Johnson. Johnson said he has encountered this bear before, having chased it out of town recently. "It has a unique white marking on its chest, and I can certainly verify this is the same bear we saw earlier in the week." There were occasional reports of sightings of a bear, but no reports of a bear going for garbage or disturbing pets or residents. "He was displaying natural behavior, going for berries. We find we don't trap them very successfully," said Johnson, who further explained that bears who are going for the berry or fruit trees are not yet habituated and are wary of people, and therefore tend to avoid traps. Johnson estimated the two year old male bear weighs about 100 pounds. "He is small, and very timid." Johnson said the bear has now been ear-tagged.
Pincher Creek Peace Officer John Herasemluk T. Lucas file photo
Toni Lucas - Pincher Creek Peace Officer John Herasemluk had a deja vu experience when he received a report that a bear was spotted in Pincher Creek yesterday, Wednesday, September 9. Earlier in the day at approximately 12:45 pm a different bear was tranquilized and removed from a tree on Mountain Street and Police Avenue. Herasemluk received a call about 2:00 pm the same day for a bear in a tree. He said his first thought was that they must have been calling about the bear they had already dealt with, however this one was by Lions Park. "There was another bear in a tree, over the riverbed."
Fish and Wildlife, Town Bylaw and RCMP worked together again to deal with the situation. This time the assessment was that tranquilizing the bear would put it and the officers at risk. The area was cordoned off for safety and monitored. The bear later moved away from town of its own accord.
"It's been a crazy week for wildlife," said Herasemluk, who speculated the bear had no intention of going through a inhabited area and was possibly just following the creek bed. "Waterways are a highway for wildlife."
Look twice before attempting to climb a tree, kids.
"This was my first bear of the year, and to get two in one day..."
Any sightings of bears or other wildlife should be reported to Fish and Wildlife.
Toni Lucas - A mature black bear was discovered hiding up a tree today, Wednesday, September 9, on a property at the corner of Mountain Street and Police Avenue in Pincher Creek. Fish and Wildlife, RCMP, and Town of Pincher Creek Bylaw officers worked together to get the bear down in a safe manner, using tranquilizer darts to subdue it. It was removed from the scene with a bear trap trailer. The bear was discovered by an unidentified citizen.
Tranquilized bear falling from tree
Jared Thompson photo
Jared Thompson photo
Fish and Wildlife Officer Paul Johnson said, "Usually the ones that cause us troubles are the yearlings, or two year old males, they are a lot like humans, they get curious. They are like teenagers, and they get into trouble. This one certainly wasn't like that. He is a big mature male." Johnson explained this bear had not been previously tagged, and estimated it weighs approximately 350 lbs. The bear was noticed because he was knocking down branches from the tree. As you can perhaps see from the accompanying photographs, he was fairly well hidden from casual view. Authorities tranquilized him in the tree, and were ready to deal with him on the ground.
Down but not completely out
Jared Thompson photo
Jared Thompson photo
"We did receive a call about a bear in town, earlier this week, so we knew there was one, but it hasn't been an ongoing problem," said Johnson. "We haven't been getting a bunch of calls, or knocked down garbage cans, and things like that. I don't think he has made a habit of hanging out in town. With the bear that he is, and the fact that he is so big and healthy, and he hasn't been causing a bunch of problems in town, I suspect he was walking down the river valley. He probably got into Pincher Creek and then people are getting up and going to work, and kids were going to school."
"Probably if we just left him, once things quieten down sometime around 11:00 tonight, he would be down and out."
Into the portable bear trap
Jared Thompson photo
Johnson would like to remind the public to report sightings, incidents, or poaching to 1-800-642-3800. "That goes to our Provincial radio control centre. They get in touch with whoever is best available to respond." Fish and Wildlife work closely with RCMP and other local authorities in situations like this. "They are who we really count on for stuff like this."
Sightseers at scene after bear was secured
This is a time of year where bears are fattening up for winter and will continue to do so through November. Some ways to curb human-wildlife conflict is to reduce attractants for wildlife including bears. This includes putting garbage out on garbage day, cleaning out bird feeders regularly, and picking apples up off of the ground and out of trees.
Food habituated bears often lead to problem bears, as they can be dangerous in their attempt to get food in and around humans
Spencer Rettler photo
Waterton Biosphere Reserve
When bears find garbage and other unnatural food sources in a yard, it may lead to a food conditioned bear. Over time, this bear may associate ‘food’ with ‘humans’ and may become very bold and dangerous in an attempt to get food in and around people. Bears drawn into the yard by garbage may then be tempted to stick around for pet food, fruit trees, garden, compost, livestock, grain, or any number of attractants in the yard site.
The Pincher Creek Municipal Library will show 'Sharing the Range', a film about the challenges of living with large carnivores, on May 14 at 7:00 pm. The 15 minute film provides a glimpse into the lives of the farmers and ranchers of southwestern Alberta who share their land with a high population density of carnivores such as grizzly bears. This special showing is hosted by the Waterton Biosphere Reserve. It features local ranchers talking about their current concerns regarding grizzly bears, and the showing will include an open discussion period.
The pie loving blue-tagged bear Photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Toni Lucas
Carol Robbins is the owner of Welch's Chocolate Shop in Waterton Lakes National Park Alberta. What should have been an average Thursday morning for her turned into the fright of her life when she encountered a bear in the store when she went to open it on the morning of September 18, 2014.
"That is an experience I truly never want to redo," said Robbins. "It gave new meaning to the word terrified. It was an a Thursday morning, about 6:30 in the morning. I was going into the pie shop to put coffee on, because the showcases were full. I just had to get coffee on to be ready by 7:00 am. I'm visually impaired, and when I opened the door, I didn't see much disarray, but I took a couple of steps in and thought, 'What is that smell?'" Robbins said she started to make her way toward the back where the light switches are located. "I walked a few feet further, and got between the two pastry cases, and put my hand out in front of me, it is always there, because of my visual impairment. This dark object started to rise up, and my hand started to rise with the object, and there she was."
Fish and Wildlife Officer John Clarke reported that a bear was captured in Lundbreck on Tuesday, September 16. This bear is being relocated today, Wednesday, September 17. There was another sighting of a bear in Lundbreck that was reported after the capture. This will make four known bears in the Lundbreck area.
Officer John Clarke advises everyone in the area to be bear smart, report all bear sightings to the Report a Poacher Line at 1-800-642-3800.
Crowsnest Pass and Pincher Creek Fish and Wildlife Officer John Clarke
Don't be a headline, bears are very dangerous
Area bears in starvation mode
See a bear? Call the Report a Poacher line at 1 800 642 3800
Toni Lucas - Bear incidents in Crowsnest Pass, Lundbreck, Pincher Creek, et al are a constant at this time for Fish and Wildlife officers and for citizens of our communities and area. Particularly affected, of course, are the farmers and ranchers in the area, but as the bears make their way into populated areas in with the desperation of hunger, town dwellers are also at risk.
The problem has been particularly acute in Crowsnest Pass where bear incidents and sightings have become commonplace, and Fish and Wildlife has been dealing with four grizzlies. A bear in Lundbreck was shot after returning too many times. A bear approaching Pincher Creek was shot by a landowner on the weekend.
Crowsnest Pass and Pincher Creek Fish and Wildlife Officer John Clarke spoke to us about the recent incidents in or close to Pincher Creek, Lundbreck, and the Crowsnest Pass. "We have so much movement of bear right now in southern Alberta, both black bear and grizzlies," he said. "There is no food left in the woods for them, and they have got to eat or they die in their den, it's as simple as that."
Officer Clarke said a bear in Lundbreck forced their hand by repeatedly
returning. "We had to shoot him, yesterday night. There was nothing
more we could do." He explained they cannot use the bear dogs in town
because they could scare the bear closer to a person, or people.
"We moved one bear out of Lundbreck, As soon as you move one, another
shows up. If you have 50 garbages with pizza in them, do you think he
is going to go for some jam, or apples in a trap? Sometimes they are
scared of the trap."
"It's been going on for close to two weeks already," according to Clarke. "There are so many attractants for them."
Two days ago south of Pincher Creek on Highway 6 a
Park Ranger saw a black bear heading toward town. He set off bear
bangers to route the bear away from town, and it went into a farmland
field. The owner of that farmland shot it.
Clarke emphasized caution and empathy in the current situation. "#1 we don't want anybody hurt, #2 we don't want to kill a bear unless we have to. They are just doing it to survive."
Here's what you don't do: Do not approach the bears, do not feed the bears. Do not leave out garbage.
Here's what you can do: Clean up your apples and similar attractants from trees and ground. Be alert, and aware. Individuals can be held responsible if bears are attracted because of their actions or neglect. Let Fish and Wildlife know when you see a bear via the Report a Poacher line at 1 800 642 3800.
Keeping Fish and Wildlife informed helps them do their job. Citizens and campers in our area have reported several sightings to us, but in the end it's Fish and Wildlife that has to deal with the problem. "We need you to work with us," Clarke said. "I cannot tell you where every animal is going to be, every moment of the day."
Jessica Mrazek, Y.E.S. - Youth Employment Services (Y.E.S.) held their first Working in Bear Country workshop with the help of Beauvais Lake Provincial Park. The youth participating learned how to spot the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear and what to do if they come into contact with a bear. They were shown skulls from different types of bears and how to minimize possible contact. Overall, it was really interesting and informative day!
Brendan Cox, Public Affairs Officer, Justice and Solicitor General
There are few sights more majestic in the province than a grizzly bear in its natural habitat. However, some poachers choose to target these magnificent creatures, and Alberta’s hard-working fish and wildlife officers need your help to catch them.
Officers regularly conduct patrols in known grizzly habitat to deter would-be poachers, but they can’t be everywhere at once in Alberta’s 661,848 km².
Currently, investigations into two grizzly deaths are ongoing in Blairmore and Pincher Creek, and investigators are asking the public for information to help bring these poachers to justice.
Jeff Bectell showing partially torn grain bin door T. Lucas photos and video
Toni Lucas - The 2013 Large Carnivore Projects Tour was hosted by the Waterton Biosphere Reserve (WBR) on June 19 in Cardston County.
The day long tour featured 8 stops that underlined the problems local land owners have with large carnivores and what they are doing about those problems, with the help of the WBR and other agencies, to help deter the animals while co-existing with them. Demonstrated were 3 different solutions for grain and hopper bins, electric fencing options, and the new Cardston County livestock carcass composting facility. Subjects that were discussed included living in a wildlife corridor, riparian management, compensation for lost livestock, and the concerns of land owners that are raising their families in a home that is also a job site with additional dangers including carnivores. This problem is also faced by the residents of the Hamlet of Kimball, one of the stops on the tour, where there is a consolidated feed storage facility. There was also an update from the Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project.
Biosphere Reserve Coordinator Nora Manners said roughly 90 people came on the Cardston County tour. Manners said that some of the people that were taking the tour included local landowners, MD Councillors, media, and representatives from the Agricultural Service Board, Fish and Wildlife, SRD, biologists, and at least one MLA. The tour was hosted by Waterton Biosphere Chair Jeff Bectell who acted as the speaker and Emcee for the day. "We want to make it biologically sustainable, and safe for humans," said Bectell. The goal is to improve safety for the humans, minimize losses, and improve compensation while maintaining a diverse and healthy wildlife. He said his aim is to find a way for the farmers, ranchers and landowners to co-exist safely with wildlife, including the predators. "It's meant to work for people and wildlife. It may surprise you the places that we've had problems with carnivores."
Dead Stock Bins
The first stop was the Cardston County livestock carcass composting facility, and the dead stock bins situated there. Looking like a lidded garbage bin, these bins are meant to keep carnivores out to reduce their presence near dead stock. Dead stock was picked up free of charge to producers until 2003, when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, changed the rules for dead stock pickup. Up until then, companies could pick up dead stock for free and use the dead animals and make a profit. In 2003 the regulations changed because any bovine could potentially have BSE. As a result, Southern Alberta Processors could no longer make a profit picking it up for free. They continued to pick up, but started to charge. Currently this service costs a minimum of $75 at $0.09/lb for cattle, or a minimum of $250 for a horse. This meant that more producers would leave their dead stock for carnivores rather than pay the fees.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife in Cardston helped financially with the cost of the bins, following what the Drywood-Yarrow Conservation Partnership (DYCP) has been doing for dead stock pickup since 2009. DYCP decided to try dead stock bins based on the model provided by the Blackfoot Challenge Group in Montana. "The Blackfoot Challenge found that when they did dead stock pick up and electric fences, and some of the other projects, they saw a 93% reduction in carnivore conflicts with people, from 2003 - 2009.
There are currently 12 dead stock bins in use in the Pincher Creek and Cardston area. The bins are pulled after calving season, and producers have to call Southern Alberta Processors for the MD's of Pincher Creek, Willow Creek or Ranchlands for dead stock removal when the bins are not in use. In Cardston County carcasses can be picked up for composting. One of the issues with having access to a dead stock bin is that The Canadian Food Inspection Agency requires that, as any dead stock may contain BSE, to use the bins a producer must become a licensed transporter of specified risk materials. Bectell said that getting this licensing takes about five minutes.
Dead Stock Composting
Bevans at Cardston County livestock carcass composting facility.
"There are 348 animals rotting in this building," said Cardston County Assistant Agricultural Fieldman Stephen Bevans as he escorted the tour group into the Cardston County livestock carcass composting facility, a large building filled with piles that were a mixture of straw, finished compost, animals, sawdust, wood chips and grass clippings. The room smelled more of the fertilizer than of dead stock. The piles were steaming, with temperature probes set in them for monitoring. According to Bevans, part of the plan was to have people who were going to mentor him. "They haven't been out here to help me. They said just throw the animals in there, it's like baking a cake." After the laughter died down, Bevans said "We are leading the edge in this. Alberta Environment says we are going into uncharted territories." A freshly made pile will sit for 60 days before being turned, then it is on a 30 day rotation. Bevens says by the time the composting is finished even the bones are composted, resulting in a rich fertilizer. Carnivores are not attracted to the scent, as it smells more of fertilizer than of rotting meat once the animal is covered. The heat that is achieved during composting, even in the wintertime, neutralizes BSE concerns.
Losses and compensation
"In all of our projects, it has to work for the producer," said Bectell. "One thing will work on one guys place, for his operation, while something else might work for another person," during a tour of a sheep ranch on the Belly River. The owner says that his family has owned the land for over 100 years. He had grizzly encounters in July and October of 2012 and according to the owner (who wished to be anonymous for the purpose of this story) these were the first occurrences of bears on this particular piece of land.
"It's hard to tell how many sheep you've got, really. When I try to count 'em, I just fall asleep, you know," he said. Although everyone laughed, it is not a humorous story that he had to tell. All his animals are radio tagged, so he does have an accurate count of his stock. In October he found that over 50 of his sheep were missing. "We were shocked," he said. "Apparently, lamb is pretty tasty."
The ranch has over 300 head of breeding ewes. In July over 10 sheep were killed by a grizzly that was seen by the owner. Fish and Wildlife compensated the owner for 7 lambs within 2 months. In October at 3:00 am the owner woke up because the dogs were barking close to the house. Looking to see what the problem was the owner could see the bear that his dogs where trying to chase off the property. He said the dogs did not deter the bear, who took occasional swipes at them while continuing to kill stock and feed. 12 more animals were lost in this incident. Altogether there were two reported sightings of the bear and camera evidence that the bear had been crossing the river, and the Wildlife officers could confirm many of the kills as bear kills.
The compensation system requires that the carcass have evidence that a carnivore killed the animal. This time his compensation came close to eight months after the bear attacked his stock. Ultimately as result of these two incidents 16 animals were compensated for and 50 were missing. Fish and Wildlife caught the bear and and relocated it to Nordegg.
There was even more loss. The owner found that when he went to sale there was substantial loss of money at sale due to stressed weights. "They just never recovered," he said of those sheep. "That's something that's not even in the equation." Some of the things that are not eligible for compensation at this time include animals that die during an attack that do not show teeth or bite marks as they were likely stressed to death, or those crushed in a stampede, or those who's body never recovered from the stress of a carnivore attack. Other losses include wounded animals that never reach full market weight, fencing costs due to damage, loss of grain from bins, ruined silage or loss from fields by grazing animals.
"Many of the land owners and ranchers are finding that the system is too restrictive, the burden of proof seems to be too high," said Bectell.
Kim McAdam, who deals with Provincial problem wildlife for Alberta Environment Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD), explained the steps for compensation. Fish and Wildlife officers investigate a claim, and if it is likely a carnivore kill the paperwork goes to a regional problem wildlife specialist who makes sure that the claim filled out properly. The claim can then go to McAdam, who calculates the payment. The payment is based on a Canfax and average meat market value. A letter is then sent to the producer saying the claim has been denied or evaluated to be worth X amount of money. A similar letter goes to the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA).
According to McAdam the Alberta Conservation Association became involved approximately 10 years ago, and they have taken over the payment part of the program. Apparently in the last few years the ACA has put a cap on their program. This has created a problem in that claims from one year have to wait until the following year to be paid if the cap has been reached. "Unless something changes we're going to be in the same boat again next year." Negotiations are ongoing with the Federal Government and the Alberta Financial Services Corporation, who are involved with most of the wildlife compensation programs, to improve the situation for the producers. Electric fencing
To help with preventing this from happening again on the sheep farm the Waterton Biosphere Reserve worked with the owner to put in electric fencing. "Margo Supplies out of High River have a lot of experience fencing bears out of camps in the Northwest Territories and all over the world," said Bectell. The bottom wire is a ground wire, and the fence then alternates hot and ground wires all the way up to the top. The fence at the one property cost approximately 13 to 14 thousand dollars. With a contribution from the Carnivore Working Group the Waterton Biosphere Group and the Oldman Watershed Council has paid for approximately half of the cost of the fencing.
These fences can run on solar power, or 110 volt electrical power. The wire used can either be high tensile or stranded wire. They have been found to deter predators and do require a minimal level of upkeep after being installed. In the case of this producer the fence will also separate the sheep from the waterway, helping the health of the riparian area there. This is why the Oldman Watershed Council Watershed Legacy Program helped fund the length of fencing that runs along the water.
Compensation and wildlife corridors "I went out one night, and there was a calf walking around in circles, with a big chunk missing out of his spine," said Soderglen Ranch Manager Roger Gerard as he told about various predator attacks on the ranch, including bears, cougars and wolves. The St. Mary's River is a nearby major wildlife corridor and the USA boundary is visible from there. The ranch takes its garbage away from the house, removes dead stock, and is putting in electric fencing. The animals that he loses are purebreds, and there is no additional compensation for that.
"These bears don't know the boundaries. There's no such thing as an Alberta or a Montana bear, they're coming back and forth all the time," added Bectell.
When do you shoot a grizzly bear?
In the case of the sheep farmer, the owner had the bear trapped at one point. 'When do you shoot a grizzly?' was asked by more than one person. "No human life is worth a bear. None," said Cardston District Fish & Wildlife Officer Lyle Lester. He explained that if a grizzly bear is shot there is an investigation. He said Fish and Wildlife takes human life very seriously and have to determine if a human was threatened. He said that there have been a number of self defense shootings over recent years. "They've all been justified," said Lester. The issue becomes much more complicated if it is a person defending livestock. In a case like that it usually goes to court, with a judge deciding whether it was a reasonable action.
Grain Bins
Custom and standard sized grain bin doors, cement pads, hopper bottom bin designs, C-can shipping containers, and electric fences have all been used as alternatives to keep bears out of grain bins. The standard bin doors can be torn off by a determined bear, and once they learn how, they recognize the bins as a food source. Some bears will pound on the bins until the joint weakens and the grain comes out. Trail cameras do not act as a deterrent, but do help with knowing what animals are in the area, and they provide evidence for claims.
Darryl Williams, Kay Wynder and Alan Kormos have taken different options for the bear problems on their lands. Williams kept his old bin but installed a new door that had to be custom built because it was oversized. Wynder installed new bear proof standard sized doors. Both have cement pads under the bins so that animals cannot dig under them. Kromos opted to put in new bins that feed out of the bottom. "Once the doors were out, they were sleeping in the bins, right on top of the bins. They were quite comfortable" said Kormos, who has four young daughters. Kay Wynder said that he has not seen any bears on his property recently, but his son and wife both have seen bears, and their grain bin door that was ripped part way off lent truth to their sightings.
How it affects the people According to Jeff Bectell the Hamlet of Kimball has a growing bear population. "It's just been the last 15 or 20 years when we started to have bears around, and it's kind of scaled up, every single year," he said. 12 bears were removed from the area last year.
Burke Nish works at the consolidated feed storage at the Hamlet of Kimball. A Youtube video named "Alberta grizzly herd" shows a night view of approximately a dozen grizzly bears wandering around the bins of the property he works on in 2011.
He admitted that he gets jumpy. "Your constantly watching your back." He talked about one night it was late, the flashing lights on the grain trailer made for odd shadows and the tall grass was moving in the wind. "Suddenly there was a black shadow came across my grain trailer. I was up in the grain bin. It was a miller moth flying around in the light." He has found dog food, tuna cans and other bait left on the property by people hoping to get to see the grizzlies from the comparative safety of their vehicles.
Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project
Andrea Morehouse by the Kimball Canal rub object.
Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project Manager Andrea Morehouse is in the third year of a study that monitors grizzly bear populations densities and distribution in southwestern Alberta ranging from Highway 3, and into BC and Montana. The easternmost study point is Kimball.
Morehouse uses rub objects to collect hair samples. Rub objects are a tree, post, or other structure that bears like to rub on. They tend to have a side that is favored by the bears. That side becomes smoother and discolored from use and may have bite or claw marks or a trail that leads by it. The act of rubbing is thought to primarily be a form of communication. Close to Kimball one of these rub objects is the headworks for old Kimball Canal. Alberta Parks, Parks Canada,University of Alberta, Alberta Environment, Sustainable Resources Development all work together on the project, which began in 2011.
The study started on public land and then was extended to private and leased land. "In 2012 I think there was over 60 different land owners and grazing co-ops that participated in the project, which is fantastic," said Morehouse, who says that there are six people working in the Pincher Creek office on the project and staff in Waterton. There is currently 831 sampling stations in the study area.
The study identified areas that were likely rub areas and attached barbed wire to help capture samples which are collected every 3 weeks from late May through September.
Using non-invasive genetic methods, the hair gathered is analysed by the Wildlife Genetics International Lab in Nelson, BC. "Over time, with that genetic information, we'll be able to update the population estimate for this area." The lab can identify the species, gender and individual identity of a bear if it is a grizzly bear. Information collected from black bears is not taken to the individual level of analysis.
A Provincial wide grizzly bear population estimate held from 2004-2007 estimated that there were 700 grizzlies in the province of Alberta. At that time they identified 27 unique grizzly bears in the area, and with modeling they estimated there were 51 bears in the region.
"We know that the males rub more than females, and right now it's about 60% males and 40% females," said Morehouse. She was tentatively excited because she will receive final numbers from Genetics Lab for the 2012 study collection in July and had received a preliminary report just before this tour. "What we can say right now is that we have identified over 100 grizzly bears, individual bears, last year through our sampling."
Finding the balance where wildlife and humans mix will always be a bit of a struggle, but the Waterton Biosphere Reserve is working toward solutions for the ranchers, farmers and the wildlife in the area.
Dr. Brian L. Horejsi - I like the idea a southwest Alberta rancher recently put forward even though it's decades old – that we need to move to another option to solve the grizzly bear conservation issue in SW Alberta. When I wrote my report on the status and recovery of the grizzly bears in that part of the province in 2004 it was religiously ignored by government and even enviros because it provided long term solutions to grizzly bear conservation that meant change in the status quo.
Chris Davis - A small crowd gathered at the Lebel Mansion in Pincher Creek on June 25 to receive an education in bear and cougar awareness from Edwin Knox of Parks Canada, who has over 20 years experience in Waterton. In that time he said he had to use bear spray once, and that was on a problem bear in a tree.
"Always carry bear spray" while in the back-country was one of the primary messages of Knox' presentation. "Carrying bear spray is a very good deterrent to a black or grizzly bear, or perhaps you can use it on a cougar," he said.
He said bear spray had been proven to be more effective than firearms. "You likely wouldn't be able to get off a shot if you weren't ready for that (bear attack)," he explained. Knox said 90% of people using bear spray were uninjured, whereas 50% of people using firearms were injured. "A bullet that only injures a bear creates a very dangerous bear."
Bear bells have been proven to be innefective and are therefore not recommended.
Knox recommended having a bear spray holster, with the bear spray at the ready, and the use of a ziplock bag to store a bear spray cannister in when not in use. "Don't leave it in the window of a car, or in a hot car. Put it in the trunk or house," he said.
Cougars can be deterred with sticks and stones, looking big, stomping and yelling, and moving out of the area. Bear spray will also deter them. A cougar attack, while rare, can happen quickly. "They're sneaky," Knox said. He said that in the case of a rare predatory attack one should "fight it off with any means you have." Pick up small children, stand your ground, face the animal, and do not run.
Contrary to traditional instructions in its use, Knox was adamant that testing a cannister was not a good idea. "I've never heard of a failure," he said, noting that testing it wasted spray and lowered the life expectancy and potency of the cannister.
Knox said most bear charges were "bluff" charges. "Seldom is it predatory." Contrasting that, he said cougars were often predatory in their behavior.
When encountering a bear he recommended backing quietly out of the area. Climbing a tree is apparently not always a good idea, because bears can climb, leaving one with no escape route. Running away can provoke a non-aggressive bear into acting aggressively. A tactic he said he used all the time when hiking was to talk loudly, announcing his prescence so that he wasn't startling wildlife by coming upon them suddenly and surprisingly. "Your voice can move bears out of the area."
Parks Canada recommends people travel in groups of 4 or more. Knox said that 90% of serious injuries and fatalities occurred in groups of 1 to 3 people.
Bear spray has a maximum range (in ideal conditions) of 25 feet, and a six-second spray duration. If you have to use it, aim for the face but slightly downward, waiting until the animal is within a 3-meter radius.
Do not apply it to yourself, your vehicle, camping area, or tent. It actually acts as an attractant.
Bears have very good senses, so if you can see it, it probably sensed you already.
Knox concluded his seminar with some hands on experience, allowing attendees to practice with expired cans of spray in the Lebel side yard.
David Green practices his bear spray abilities C. Davis photos
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