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Thread: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    345

    Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Hi guys,
    Just a question out of curiosity. I saw one of the bigger black bear boars I've ever seen on a piece of Jocko Creek Ranch land. I observed him the first evening eating on a hillside. The following morning I saw him running two horses on the same land. Not sure there was malicious intent. Probably just being awnery. Two days later the cattle came into the same pasture with very young calves. I was wondering why a bear of that size wouldn't just take a calf or two.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Langley
    Posts
    6,032

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Yes absolutely. Cows, calves, horses, everything...

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Pemberton BC
    Posts
    1,521

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Of course they do. Calves, sheep, whatever.
    Knowledgeable shooters agree- The 375 Ruger is the NEW KING of all 375 caliber cartridges. ALL HAIL THE NEW KING!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Whonnock for 19 years, Mission for 46 years
    Posts
    4,720

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Yes, in some areas they are a real problem, sometimes even worse than wolves.
    I gleaned private access to one of BC.s largest ranches many years ago solely on the promise
    that I would shoot any black bear I saw near their calving grounds.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    3,381

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    They're sneaky buggers. They'll lay down in a low spot or long grass. The calves being curious will come check them out. Can be a big problem. In landowners in Alberta can shoot them without a licence. Wish they'd let us deal with the hump back bears this way.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Posts
    378

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Bears love babies. Be it human or animal. They eat everything. I know some ranchers in bc that SSS when it comes to bears. A large mature boar can kill a surprising amount of cows once they realize how. Dumb the cows are

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Pemberton BC
    Posts
    1,521

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    I've killed 2 black bears in full charge after our sheep, killed 3 more that were creeping towards lambs. I was a bit choked to cancel bear tags because bear hunting for us is always kinda fun and relaxed, but we get two tags a year, and using the tags eliminated excess paperwork.
    Knowledgeable shooters agree- The 375 Ruger is the NEW KING of all 375 caliber cartridges. ALL HAIL THE NEW KING!

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    14,707

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Blackies LOVE deer Fawns and Moose Calves ! Black bear are Predators - and DEAD ones are the BEST ! RJ

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    378

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Many years ago my cousin who owns a large cattle ranch North of Mayerthorpe Alberta lost four pigs to a black bear. The bear fatally mauled three large sows to death and carried the other one off. The bear was never found and it never returned.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Pemberton BC
    Posts
    1,521

    Re: Do Ranchers Ever Lose Calves to Black Bears

    Quote Originally Posted by Sportster View Post
    Many years ago my cousin who owns a large cattle ranch North of Mayerthorpe Alberta lost four pigs to a black bear. The bear fatally mauled three large sows to death and carried the other one off. The bear was never found and it never returned.
    A number of years ago a grizzly took out a bunch of pigs in one assault at my friends place. He didn't have a gun and said all he could do was watch and yell, but the grizz just ignored him. Grizz came back again, too.

    Cougars have taken lots of animals around here, too.
    Knowledgeable shooters agree- The 375 Ruger is the NEW KING of all 375 caliber cartridges. ALL HAIL THE NEW KING!

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