| Black Bear Chase | | | | at seeing one. |
| Peddling as fast as my aching legs could move, I | | | | Bad, because campers will need to keep a keen |
| came to an abrupt stop. My shocked eyes | | | | eye for nuisance bears. Now nuisance bear |
| followed the big black bear as it veered off the | | | | complaints are the norm. |
| old brush road into the dark forest, just a few | | | | Bear Control |
| feet in front of me. | | | | Some municipalities have now hired bear-control |
| Camping With My Friends | | | | officers, but many municipalities cannot afford this. |
| It was early summer. A couple of friends of mine | | | | Without trained staff, municipalities must rely on |
| and myself had just finished a week end camping | | | | law enforcement officers, with no background in |
| and fishing trip at one of our favorite lakes in the | | | | bear management, to respond to nuisance bear |
| area, where we lived. | | | | complaints. |
| As I can remember it was a very long bike ride, | | | | One day the Ontario government will come to |
| even for three 14 year old boys. | | | | their senses and bring back the spring Black Bear |
| Bear Country | | | | hunt again. |
| The road we took to get there and back hadn't | | | | The Bear Facts |
| seen any traffic for a few years. It was a good | | | | The black bear is also seen in other colour phases, |
| bet we would run into something back there. | | | | chocolate and cinnamon brown are also common. |
| Sure enough I did, my buddies missed out on all | | | | Black bears can reach weights of up to 700 lbs. |
| the excitement, they had trailed behind and | | | | Black bears roam a very large area even as |
| missed out. | | | | much as 500 square miles. |
| Spring Bear Hunt | | | | Black bears have been know to run as fast as a |
| Since that time I've seen many a black bear in | | | | horse. |
| the Ontario Northland of Canada. | | | | A bear can bite through a tree as big around as a |
| With the cancellation of the annual spring black | | | | person's arm. |
| bear hunt, I expect to see many more of these | | | | Litter size may range from one to five cubs, but |
| magnificent animals. | | | | two is average. |
| Black Bear Population | | | | Male black bears regularly kill and eat bear cubs in |
| For the tourists, this is good and bad news, for | | | | the spring; biologists say as many as 50% of |
| the Northern Ontario resident, just bad. Ontario | | | | bear cubs lose their lives this way each year. |
| has a growing black bear population that is one of | | | | Life span in the wild is 20 to 25 years. Mother |
| the largest in the world. | | | | black bears have not been known to attack in |
| Bears In Politics | | | | defence of its cubs. |
| The spring black bear hunt was cancelled in 1999 | | | | A large number of fatal bear attacks in Ontario |
| in a pre-election move. The thought was that the | | | | have occurred in areas not open to hunting. |
| government's decision would reduce the number | | | | As a tourist, I enjoy the site of seeing one of |
| of orphaned cubs. | | | | nature's rare sights. As a resident, black bears are |
| The number of orphaned cubs in shelters rose. | | | | seen, heard and feared all too often. |
| Happy Tourists | | | | The black bears future depends on how well |
| Residents now have to put up with nuisance | | | | Ontario Northland residents understand manage |
| bears. Too many for their liking. The tourists have | | | | and tolerate them. |
| good news because they will get a better chance | | | | |