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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2014 17:42:37 GMT -5
The Black Bear population has been growing a lot in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky over the past 10 years. Last Summer a wild Black Bear wandered from east KY all the way to within a few miles of the Ohio River just south of Evansville, Indiana. A few Black Bear have even been seen in northern Illinois in recent years.
Black Bear in Michigan have also been seen in recent years close to the Indiana border. Every year it seems like Black Bear in Ohio are moving farther west. Several Bear have been confirmed in and around Cincinnati, Ohio in recent years which is very close to Indiana. Black Bears have been confirmed in over two dozen Ohio Counties, mostly in southern Ohio, along the Ohio River.
If this trend continues it is possible that a few Black Bear may wander into parts of Indiana in the near future.
There is a lot of good information available online about the growing Black Bear populations in surrounding local states.
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Post by GS1 on Mar 19, 2014 21:48:44 GMT -5
I must have missed the confirmation that the black bear just south of Indiana and 45 minutes from my house, came from eastern Kentucky. Was it confirmed or is that a guess?
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Post by firstwd on Mar 23, 2014 21:26:11 GMT -5
The Green River runs East to West across Kentucky and empties into the Ohio River not terribly far from Evansville, so there actually is a corridor for a critter to traverse from point A to point B. I have a difficult time imagining something the size of a bear making it that far without being seen by someone on the journey. Especially with the shear volume of people that visit Mammoth Cave National Park every year.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2014 7:16:12 GMT -5
We have had two bear sightings on our property in McCreary County, Kentucky. Many other confirmed sightings and a couple of bears killed by automobiles in other parts of the county too. They do seem to be spreading out their range.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2014 15:42:12 GMT -5
I must have missed the confirmation that the black bear just south of Indiana and 45 minutes from my house, came from eastern Kentucky. Was it confirmed or is that a guess? Some people believe it came from east Kentucky, others think it may have came from Tennessee. It was seen several times around Central City, KY which is along the Western Kentucky Parkway. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2014 15:48:02 GMT -5
The Green River runs East to West across Kentucky and empties into the Ohio River not terribly far from Evansville, so there actually is a corridor for a critter to traverse from point A to point B. I have a difficult time imagining something the size of a bear making it that far without being seen by someone on the journey. Especially with the shear volume of people that visit Mammoth Cave National Park every year. Several people did see the Bear, I believe a trail cam photo was taken of the bear also. Mammoth Cave National Park actually expects Bear to start a small population within the park. In fact, last year numerous bear sightings were confirmed near Cave City, Kentucky which is a few miles from the park and Interstate 65. Several years ago there were even a few Black Bear here in the KY Lake area. They were believed to be from Tennessee, or possibly Missouri or Arkansas. |
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Post by 70worm on May 17, 2014 20:27:38 GMT -5
I dont think they could survive in Indiana. We are too densely populated. We have one of the highest "people per square mile" populations of any other state. We are spread out everywhere.
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Post by drs on May 18, 2014 4:15:14 GMT -5
While Deer hunting on my property (Central Ky) during the 2009 rifle season; I actually heard a Black Bear roar. I was hunting in a very deep and wooded portion of my property, when I heard this roar. I believe there might have been two Black Bears fighting over a a gut pile, left by another hunter. My guess the bear(s) were around 80 yards from my ladder stand. When I returned to the house; I checked Black Bear sounds, on my P.C., and was able to get a match of the roar I heard. I've also seen tree trunks that were scratched up too high to be antler rubs.
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Post by josephwrealty on May 18, 2014 19:16:32 GMT -5
There are parts of southern Indiana that bears could plausibly utilize as a new home range. While it is true Indiana is densely populated believe it or nk tty there still is enough wilderness left to support a few bears
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2014 19:25:27 GMT -5
If New Jersey can support a bear population (which they do), Indiana sure could.
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Post by drs on May 19, 2014 4:26:10 GMT -5
There are parts of southern Indiana that bears could plausibly utilize as a new home range. While it is true Indiana is densely populated believe it or nk tty there still is enough wilderness left to support a few bears Several state, with high Human population, have Black Bears. Examples are: Florida and Massachusetts. |
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Post by josephwrealty on May 19, 2014 6:20:13 GMT -5
Exactly my point. If you read the prior responses I directed my comment at individual who thought bears could not survive in indiana
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Post by MuzzleLoader on May 19, 2014 6:32:10 GMT -5
Bears gotta eat, lets get some elk in Indiana.
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Post by 70worm on May 19, 2014 15:36:20 GMT -5
Those other states have concentraited populations. Florida has huge areas of land that are mostly unihabbited. (Swamps, Appilaction hills) We are just too spread out here, our farms are not huge like in Iowa or Wyoming. And if a bear was spotted walking across a corn field here it would get shot immediately.
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Post by josephwrealty on May 25, 2014 10:38:30 GMT -5
I am sorry but while I do understand many of your viewpoints I still do not agree that a population of bears could not be established in Indiana. There are sections of Indiana that have some wilderness remaining in enough swaths to support clusters of bear populations. Yes they would struggle to colonize large sections of the state but I could most definitely see them surviving and thriving in certain areas I hunt in southern Indiana. Also the bear populations in states such as New Jersey or florida have even less turf to work with even higher human population ratios to contend with and have adapted. If they can adapt and survive on new jersey they can adapt and survive in Indiana. Same thing goes for elk as well as mt.lions. only species I see having really tough time of establishing even isolated clustered populations other than maybe one or two packs would be timber wolves. But Indiana is not as inhospitable to wildlife as you make it seem.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2014 16:33:03 GMT -5
My brother used to live in Harrisburg PA and bears were a big problem there. That is a good sized city...something like Ft. Wayne or so. Bears don't need vast wilderness. Much of Indiana doesn't have bear habitat, but the southern third of the state could easily support a small population of bears.
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Post by windingwinds on May 26, 2014 21:07:43 GMT -5
I would hazard a guess that people-bear conflicts would prematurely end any bears lifetime if they wander to Indiana. Bears love garbage, easy meals. People hate bears in garbage. DNR removes bear, most likely in a permanent manner. The end.
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Post by Woody Williams on May 27, 2014 7:47:43 GMT -5
I would hazard a guess that people-bear conflicts would prematurely end any bears lifetime if they wander to Indiana. Bears love garbage, easy meals. People hate bears in garbage. DNR removes bear, most likely in a permanent manner. The end. ^^^^ THIS |
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Post by josephwrealty on May 27, 2014 8:03:33 GMT -5
Considering the attitude our DNR adopts toward wildlife management. I unfortunately must agree despite their being scattered areas of proper bear habitat within the southern 2/3rd of the state. That any isolated bear populations that could be reestablished within the state would most likely be removed by powers that be. That's of course unless substantial influence could be formed in support of reintroduction. Indiana isn't exactly on forefront of progressive wildlife management techniques. Little to much outside influence formulates decisions rather than biologists And property managers etc having final say. Now a federal preserve or two I can think of may hold some promise for the concept but currently they don't cover much turf.
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Post by dbd870 on May 27, 2014 8:28:49 GMT -5
I would hazard a guess that people-bear conflicts would prematurely end any bears lifetime if they wander to Indiana. Bears love garbage, easy meals. People hate bears in garbage. DNR removes bear, most likely in a permanent manner. The end. Agree |
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