A point made during all the discussion around the recent fatal bear attack in Wyoming focuses on a belief that hunting creates greater fear in animals. While I’m sure most of us have seen this in prey animals, I question if it’s true with large predators.

What’s your position? Would hunting a predator that’s two or three times your size make it more fearful of you, and why?

As a whole yes, but animals are still individuals.

I lived in the rural mountains of north central Pennsylvania for 15 years. This is prime real estate for some of the largest black bears in North America. My property had 10 acres of blueberry swamp and shared 1200ft of boundary with 50,000 continuous acres of State game lands. During an average year I would see 20-30 different black bears. This area of Pennsylvania has a 6 day archery season followed by 10 days of firearms.
I can tell you first hand that Bobo’s assessment is spot on.
I’ve seen large mature boars that dressed out well over 500 lbs. run away as soon as they saw you or heard an ATV coming down the trail. I’ve also had 150 lb boars that would stand their ground snapping their jaws and growling at you especially if food was close by.

IMO, the aggressive gene/behavior is taken out of the pool, a bear that has no fear of humans learned or ingrained are killed by hunting. Animals that are reclusive survive and pass on Gene and behavior.

Yes, that seems logical.

So as a general rule, even the most aggressive predators can be wary of humans. Still, just as some are quick to retreat and hide, there are those that may choose to refuse to give ground to any other animal or human.

Agree completely.

I think hunting increases an animal's fear of humans regardless of the behavior being learned or genetic. If it's genetic, that phenotype becomes less fit for survival. If it's learned, it's learned. Several years ago, a supervisor who was training me pulled a can a bear spray on an aggressive black bear that was following us. The bear filched at the sight of the can being pointed at him and bolted. We were obviously not the first hikers he had followed and he had been sprayed before. They learn.

They learn, but some times not good enough. That bear didn't have a fear of humans, he had a fear of bear spray. He had been repelled by humans before, yet still followed us. That bear needed to be killed.

I think it does.

The old brain is foggy, but I thought I had read that it can be the opposite with grizzlies. The sound of gunshots becomes a dinner bell of sorts because they start associating it with a game animal such as an elk being down, so they head toward it and use their keen sense of smell to zero in on the feast.

I have no experience with bears, only coyotes. I have seen probably 10 coyotes in major cities, in the day time, showing little regard for humans. They've never been threatened by humans. On the flip side, the coyotes out in the country will bolt, at the first sign of a truck, or if a truck stops traveling. And I have seen them do this to me as far out as a thousand yards.

On foot, it has always been my opinion that predator and prey look at us a very abnormal, walking upright. And with forward facing eyes, that shows them we are predators.

B

You are right some Grizz come to the sound of a gunshot, learned behavior. However they are currently not hunted in lower 48 thus no consequence if they show up. There are obvious exceptions where conflict arises. Those bears if hunting is allowed will be the first to be killed.

In the first scenario, the coyotes in town are not really subjected to hunting pressure, the biggest problem for the coyote in town is traffic, and they learn how to dodge the traffic. In the country they do get shot at, and have associated that people are a hazard. That also goes for most animals, deer in a state parks and towns have become accustomed to people, they barely pay attention to a person unless they suspect food is available.

Fireman JG, dogcatcher, y'all bring up a very good point of 'context.' Many humans seem to have the perspective that animals do or should have a fear of humans simply because we are humans. It is a very anthropocentric perspective and your point bears this out, no pun intended. Animals do not fear humans simply because we are humans. In the grand scheme, without cultural weapons, we are pretty weak, furless, soft underbelly animals. We aren't fast. We don't have powerful limbs. We don't have sharp claws. We don't have big teeth. We have no armor.

Bears are scary

Are you explaining that to me?

Most powerful brain living, and the ability to use technology to our advantage. Take away the technology, and we are quite weak, and under-equipped.

few could survive the age of d caveman.

True. But we have the ability to adapt and create. Why we have dominance over the animals since we have both shared this planet.

We can adapt and create, but it's a good thing we weren't around when Mr T-Rex and his cousins were out looking for lunch!

Bring 'em back now! We have Tikka, Vortex scopes, and the 6.5 Creedmoor. T-Rex wouldn't stand a chance.

I feel there is something to be said for some large predators having the intelligence to recognize their strengths against humans no matter how much you hunt them.

did i ever tell ya's bout the time back in me caveman days, when usta train them thar T-Rex & his cousins ta works in d rock quaries.
Ya back in d day when d wheel twas invented & got tings a rollen.

As of yesterday in red river county we have a black bear on camera at the feeder every day for the last two weeks. We’re not hunting him but this is a heavily hunted area. Of course black bear are not considered large predators and are known to be curious so I’m not sure where this fits in this conversation. I personally consider him a large predator and will take all precautions to preserve his life as well as mine. Hope he don’t make me chose.

I have no way of proving it, but my belief is this:
Large predators are smarter than a lot of other animals because they have to be to eat (much of their food can think, see, hear, smell, and run away). Because of that, I think they learn to avoid humans as long as they have enough free habitat to do so. As they are squeezed into smaller and smaller areas their ability to avoid us is diminished and you see more negative encounters with us. I also believe animals are like humans in that they are not all equal. Some are naturally more wary of humans and some are naturally more aggressive regardless of external factors. I believe for every bear that sees a gun shot as a dinner bell their are more that see it as something they want to avoid so they aren't seen.