I've been talking with my uncle who lives in northeast Louisiana and has a place of about 1000+ acres that he owns and hunts. The past couple of years he's developed a bear population on his place and by looking at them on his game cameras the best he can tell it is 4 different bears. They are turning out to be a real problem for him because they are totally destroying all of his deer feeders; they tear the motor/slinger mechanism off and turn them over, and he has several feeders on his place. His neighbors are having the same issues, one apparently eating the seat off a 4 wheeler too. Any of you guys experiencing this for the first time?

Tell him to buy some 12 Gauge bean bag rounds and when the beat shows up start popping his butt sooner or later he will stop coming to the feeder. That's what they were doing on some show I watched to make the Bears scared of humans.

I did some research on this when I was thinking of moving to NC. The only way to keep a feeder safe is to get it 9 ft off the ground. I've seen L shaped posts recommended.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/nr/rdonlyres/...uisianahigh.pdf

Here's a pdf. file from LA talking about using the crank up feeders.

Also, if he goes the harassment route be sure he doesn't tell a soul. The LA population of black bears is listed as threatened on the federal listing. Don't know what the fine is for harassing a threatened/endangered species, but I'm sure it's not good. haha!

Thanks for the info tinkerbell I forwarded that link to him.......from reading some of his neighbors post on FB apparently they've even had evidence of them eating fawns too. It sounds like bears could be an even bigger issue than hogs........

Hunted around alpine, tx years ago and the ranch had a resident female that had cubs every year and several adult males that moved through. We compared them to over sized raccoons. They are smart and extremely strong. Crank up feeders were the only ones that would last and even then sometimes a big male could figure out how to bend the steel legs sometimes.

We couldn't trap or kill them and were encouraged by the local game warden to "not harass" them. So, yes worse than hogs.

I talked to him some more this morning via social media and he told me the rest of the story. He and his neighbors are EXTREMELY angry with SCI. Apparently they spearheaded a bear stocking program in the area my uncle lives and its having negative effects and yes I'm sure there are some positives as well, but this sounds like it is turning into something similar to win the Feds decided they were going to reintroduce wolves into certain areas of the country, now folks are having to remove them whether it be by state law or the SOS method.............

Texas wildlife supply old timers.

I recommended to a buddy in SE Oklahoma.

Hasn't had a bear issue in 3 years. He was them T posted in.

I know from my uncle's prospective if SCI would step in and help him and his neighbors bear proof their deer management programs it would heal a lot of wounds. I think what really has my uncle in a tizzy is he has had his deer management program in place for 20 years and has his place producing really nice trophy bucks and these bears have come in and destroyed all that in his eyes as well as his neighbors. I'll repeat myself....... SCI should step up and help these guys bear proof their deer management programs, it wouldn't have to spend a whole lot to keep the peace......I think what they (SCI) have done will turn out to be a good thing because eventually the bears will become a huntable resource and these land owners will benefit by being able to market bear hunts.........my two cents

Bears will eat anything they can get a hold on, fawns included. But they usually don't expend a lot of energy going after fawns or deer.

Maybe hunt without feeders? Try a food plot.

Had one move through our place in east texas two years ago and he absolutely destroyed our feeder. My suggestion would be either raise the feeder way high off the ground, or get rid of your feeders and plant food plots. Sounds like they won't be moving on since its a huge plot of land. Bears will absolutely destroy a feeder, I've seen what they can do.

Don't know if Texas hunters know that TPWD actually has a publication concerning bears: Bear Safety in Mind ~ Hunter Edition.

I've seen them in Brewster and Terrell county. In December of 1976, on a cold misty day while on aerial patrol in LaSalle County SE of Cotulla in the Rodriguez Field area, I flew over a large black bear about 10:00 am. It, don't know if it was a he or she, was walking along the edge of a narrow pipeline right of way and stood up on it's back legs. I was about 70' above it.

We supposedly or are supposed have them or they are expecting them to be in Delta county where I live. One of the Cooper Lake WMA officials told me they would be putting up signs warning people not to mistake them for hogs. Apparently at a distance they can resemble a hog........I've seen what appears to be bear tracks while walking around the lake so they may be here..........