Several bears missing a front leg in WNC

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I think you all see this the same way I do. If bear paws are so valuable, why only take one? If this much illegal trapping is going on inside city limits wouldn't someone notice? If they had all that many tips, why no charges? I don't bear hunt but have a lot of friends that do. One told me about a bear they turned on that would not tree and killed most of their dogs. He said when they killed the bear it was missing a front paw. He said that was probably the reason it would not tree.
Bear paws aren’t valuable. I leave them in the woods. Why would you carry out bone and keratin? Zero protein

If any of these eco warriors ever got off the trail or off their ebikes, they’d understand that a real sportsman deals the most merciful death anything in nature can hope for.

do they think that bears don’t break their ankles in rocks?

do they think that bears don’t get bit by snakes digging in :donk:donk:donk:donk?

do they think bears don’t literally try to kill each other in a fight?

ive seen two 250# bears fight. It’s a nasty affair that doesn’t really have a winner.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I ain't skeert of much but I do have healthy respect for things. A bear isn't nothing but a big ole coon on steroids. I have grabbed a many a coon in my time, enough to know I ain't grabbing a bear by choice! :p
Unless it’s by the ears for a good pic with the dogs!!!!!!!!!
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Unless it’s by the ears for a good pic with the dogs!!!!!!!!!
I don’t get in on that because I haven’t killed one in years. Supplied the dogs but just didn’t care for killing them because I didn’t eat them.

Crawled to many a one and talked a first timer through the shakes so they could make a good shot. Between that and having dogs in on the chase it was as good or better than pulling the trigger.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I don’t get in on that because I haven’t killed one in years. Supplied the dogs but just didn’t care for killing them because I didn’t eat them.

Crawled to many a one and talked a first timer through the shakes so they could make a good shot. Between that and having dogs in on the chase it was as good or better than pulling the trigger.
I’m the same way anymore. I like shooting one bayed up tight and raising cane, but it’s awesome carrying kids or new hunters to a tree.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
These people are a joke. ive done as @appmtnhntr and tried to talk to them before, i either get no response or delete my comments off their facebook page. (im now blocked from it). They also had a lawsuit against NCWRS (by their saying) because they did a study and told them that all the legs missing where from run ins with cars. they want to blame it on trappers and hunters and get super pissed when you dont agree with their narrative. you can or could see where donations where coming from and you guessed it most was coming from outta state from big urban areas.

its common sense if someone has any, bear numbers are climbing fast in WNC, population is spreading into wooded communities with large green spaces (AKA bear and wildlife sanctuaries), then feeding them keeps them close to people eventually there is going to be some bear vs human activity and people are going to win in a car.

Ive worked in a community that has 3 bears that are easily identifiable, a sow and her two grown cubs now. the sow figured out how to open doors and then taught her cubs. now there is three bears that know how to open a twist handle door knob, a lever style, and they know if they push up hard enough on garage door it will open.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
These people are a joke. ive done as @appmtnhntr and tried to talk to them before, i either get no response or delete my comments off their facebook page. (im now blocked from it). They also had a lawsuit against NCWRS (by their saying) because they did a study and told them that all the legs missing where from run ins with cars. they want to blame it on trappers and hunters and get super pissed when you dont agree with their narrative. you can or could see where donations where coming from and you guessed it most was coming from outta state from big urban areas.

its common sense if someone has any, bear numbers are climbing fast in WNC, population is spreading into wooded communities with large green spaces (AKA bear and wildlife sanctuaries), then feeding them keeps them close to people eventually there is going to be some bear vs human activity and people are going to win in a car.

Ive worked in a community that has 3 bears that are easily identifiable, a sow and her two grown cubs now. the sow figured out how to open doors and then taught her cubs. now there is three bears that know how to open a twist handle door knob, a lever style, and they know if they push up hard enough on garage door it will open.
My buddy has a sow at his house in Oteen that can get into the house. He has to pepper spray her when she tries while they are home.
It’s getting bad in some places.
 

thelivecanary

Eight Pointer
The only thing that can remove a paw from a live bear is a vehicle or another bear. PERIOD! I beg these folks to try. If the population density is as high as I've seen reported, why wouldn't people look at Boar Bears as the culprit? Nature is scary, just ask a sardine or a deer in big cat country.
 

ellwoodjake

Twelve Pointer
Hunters could be to blame for a few of these, but not all. Years ago, one of the neighbors shot a leg off a doe, on the uncle's farm in Ohio, and we saw her for years later. No one had the heart to shoot her, and she raised a couple of fawns every year. She was just as wiley as any other doe, and for good reason.
On the farm I hunt now in KY, they have a tripod coyote. He has a hard time catching anything wild, and has become a trash can/pet dish bandit. It's only a matter of time 'til someone takes him out. I imagine a bear with a leg shot off, would travel outside marginal habitat, and settle where the gettin's good. These sows in A'ville are raising 3-4 cubs every year. Prime habitat without getting shot at. Once they get used to humans, what more could a Gimp-bear want?
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
first 'maters,,,
then most fish (cooked correctly),,,
now bears,,,,

jiminy,,, what DO you eat????
Now I recon I need to clarify, I can eat bear. But I have eaten it every way it is supposed to be wonderful and am not crazy about it. You can bet if it is the only thing offered I won't go away hungry but I am not going to kill one unless I have someone lined up to give it to.

And I love lots of fish, just not pickled or in tacos. LMAO
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Now I recon I need to clarify, I can eat bear. But I have eaten it every way it is supposed to be wonderful and am not crazy about it. You can bet if it is the only thing offered I won't go away hungry but I am not going to kill one unless I have someone lined up to give it to.

And I love lots of fish, just not pickled or in tacos. LMAO
Tim you’ve always been kind to me, gave me suggestions to not screw up my good standing with the houndsmen I hunt with, and helped me a lot when I was doing my schooling and trying to figure things out with applying for jobs. That being said, I never once considered you to be a soft man. All this time I’ve assumed you’ve survived on a strict diet of slag peel, leftover tungsten, and little scraps of 7018 electrodes . Learn something new every day I reckon
 

wturkey01

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Exactly, my question would be where does these people market these bear paws? Galls were the big things back when and of course there had to be a connection to market them. They wound up in the gut bucket when we were hunting.

My question is who in the hell is going to snare a damn bear and cut a paw of then release it, I don't think so.

Reminds me of a story........

A man was driving on a rural road when he spotted a pig with only 3 legs. The pig turned onto a gravel driveway and the man was curious so he followed the pig.

He came to a farmhouse and introduced himself. After a short chitchat he inquired about the pig with only 3 legs.

The farmer said, "that's the smartest pig that ever lived! When our house caught fire that pig rushed in and saved all of us, then a traveling salesman came along and tried to assault my daughter and that pig jumped him and ran him off, then just a few days ago my son got lost in the woods and that pig found him"!

"But how did he lose his leg", asked the man.

"Well hell," the farmer replied, "a good pig like that, you don't eat him all at once"!!
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Tim you’ve always been kind to me, gave me suggestions to not screw up my good standing with the houndsmen I hunt with, and helped me a lot when I was doing my schooling and trying to figure things out with applying for jobs. That being said, I never once considered you to be a soft man. All this time I’ve assumed you’ve survived on a strict diet of slag peel, leftover tungsten, and little scraps of 7018 electrodes . Learn something new every day I reckon
All that stuff makes a great stew, but it gives me terrible gas. Most of the time if I am going on trips my riders hate me after a good bait of it. ;)
 

luckybuck

Old Mossy Horns
I ain't skeert of much but I do have healthy respect for things. A bear isn't nothing but a big ole coon on steroids. I have grabbed a many a coon in my time, enough to know I ain't grabbing a bear by choice! :p
Same here brother. coon hunting cured me from stupid habits lol
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
I came to post this as well. Looks like a young cub did get it’s foot in a trap. But then became a mature animal. But the picture is only going to strengthen there cause. And it’s a 1 In a million photo
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
That’s definitely not a good look. A 330 size body grip can’t be set on dry land even if someone was targeting beaver or otter. Interesting that the article said who owned the trail cam, but didn’t specify whether it was his land or public or owned by someone else. Unless I missed that in the article
 
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