rk911
DuPage County
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed a couple of trails until further notice to allow a large concentration of black bears to feed on acorns.
The Gatlinburg Trail between Gatlinburg and Sugarlands Visitor Center and the Twin Creeks Trail between Gatlinburg and the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center are closed, the park said Wednesday.
The trails will stay closed temporarily for the safety of visitors and to allow bears to feed undisturbed on natural foods, the park said.
Bears often feed for more than 12 hours a day in the fall and are sometimes concentrated in places where food sources are abundant, the park's news release said. Normally wary bears may act aggressively to defend such areas.
The animals usually are solitary, but they may be seen feeding closely during the fall.
Bears move around in the fall looking for acorns, sometimes traveling more than 30 miles to feed in a particular spot, the park said. The bears depend on fall foods such as acorns and grapes to store fat reserves for the winter.
The park's website contains information about what to do if you encounter a bear while hiking.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/great-smokey-........park-close-trails-allow-black-bears-feed
* This post was
edited 10/27/22 06:45pm by rk911 *
Rich
Ham Radio, Sport Pilot, Retired 9-1-1 Call Center Administrator
_________________________________
2016 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q
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Crowe
Merrimack, NH
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Although I have no plans to be there but great info.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be Douglas Adams
RV-less for now but our spirits are still on the open road.
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Fizz
Ottawa, Canada
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Should have a guessing contest as to how many idiots will sneak in and get mauled.
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Campinghoss@51
Windsor NC
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Fizz wrote:Should have a guessing contest as to how many idiots will sneak in and get mauled.
Amen to that. We were in Cades Cove a few years back and the park rangers had hired around 12 volunteers using yellow crime tape to secure black bears feeding on walnut. Yes the bears were just off the road so getting a good pic was easy but folks were parking and walking back to get closer. Some folks were trying to cross the crime tape.
Go figure !!
Camping Hoss
2017 Open Range 3X 388RKS
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wanderingbob
monticeeo, fla
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Maybe they should leave the trails open , the bears will have another option !
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rk911
DuPage County
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Campinghoss@51 wrote:Fizz wrote:Should have a guessing contest as to how many idiots will sneak in and get mauled.
Amen to that. We were in Cades Cove a few years back and the park rangers had hired around 12 volunteers using yellow crime tape to secure black bears feeding on walnut. Yes the bears were just off the road so getting a good pic was easy but folks were parking and walking back to get closer. Some folks were trying to cross the crime tape.
Go figure !!
if they had crossed it at least the tape would've already been in place.
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ken56
Tennessee
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There are supposed to be stiff fines for feeding bears but I never see anyone ever ticketed for it. People refuse to leave the wildlife alone. When people feed the bears or the Elk it is a death sentence for them. If they lose their fear of humans and become a nuisance they have euthanize them. A bear just broke into a rented cabin recently and attacked an occupant. They found it and killed it. PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS IN THE PARK.
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charlestonsouthern
Summerville, SC
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ken, X2. a few years back, my husband and I were camping at the KOA in Cherokee, NC around early September. We were visiting the Great Smokies Ranger Station nearby.. While viewing some old cabins(which was in the rear yard of the station and had been moved there from a high mountain valley), herds of elk swarmed across a stream into the yard and out into a large meadow for grazing. Since I was cornered and no way out, I penned myself against the outside wall of one of these cabins so that I would not be trampled. The young ones in the herd were in no way afraid of me; they stopped and then came closer and closer as if they were waiting on a hand out. When the large stag returned to edge them on, I was a little scared, but they moved on. These young elk must have been hand-fed at some point in their life.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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Fizz wrote:Should have a guessing contest as to how many idiots will sneak in and get mauled.
Well the bears must feed.
Like the two Researchers One Russian one Czechoslovakian who went to study the Grizzly.. Well they did not return and Rangers found evidence of what happened. Tracked two bears, a Male/Female pair and upon necroposying the female found the Remains of the Russian.. The Vet says to his partner "you know what that means don't you?" (no)
The Czech is in the Male.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
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charlestonsouthern
Summerville, SC
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Those corn jokes always keep me laughing!! Good one.
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