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Author
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Topic: Lions and Bears
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted November 26, 2004 10:00 PM
I read an interesting comment by a trapper a little while ago, and thought I'd pose it here.
Has anyone ever found the remains of a lion or bear, in the wild, that has died of natural causes?
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 26, 2004 10:34 PM
Tim, even more basic, and a question I have asked myself, and others:
Ever stumble on an old dead coyote; died of natural causes?
But, no, never found a dead bear or lion.
Most common, by far is deer and cattle.
Good hting. LB
[ November 26, 2004, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32369 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted November 27, 2004 06:52 AM
Tim, I have never found a lion, bear, bobcat, fox or any other predator that died from natural causes. A few months ago we had people staying at the motel that were checking for expolsives at Whitesands, one of them brought back a mountian lion skull he found in a small cave. I told him I'd give him $50 for it, No way lol. That is the only one I ever heard of someone finding.
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted November 27, 2004 08:21 AM
I did find a bear once that I believe may have died of natural causes. I had lost the faint trail I was attempting to follow and found the bear under a rock overhang that was covered by a deadfall. Totally pure luck to have stumbled across it. The area had such dense cover and remote that I don't believe a hunter could have shot and lost it. I have found several other bears that were most likely shot and left.
I know from talking with Del Cameron from Montana that he thought in his part of the country bears die during hibernation. Especially during drought years when berry crops are poor. From what I have read and heard this doesn't happen much on the west side of the mountains where I hunt. And radio-collared studies done here haven't shown big losses during hibernation. Who really knows for sure though?
In most hunted populations I honestly don't believe many bears do die of old age. Bears can live a long time and I think odds are they will eventually meet up with a bullet. A bears appetite and constant search for food will makes it vulnerable. I know a guy who killed a male black bear that was aged at 19 years old. It was killed in an area that is semi-open and heavily hunted. For a bear to survive that many years in that area was amazing to me. I think that bear moved in from elsewhere. From mandatory hunter checks on bears killed here in Idaho most bears are 4 years of age or less. Then again, the wandering younger male bears are usually the ones to get whacked first.
The only dead lion I've ever found was a little cub killed by a male. A buddy of mine found a lion that was killed by another lion. The puncture marks in the back of the skull pretty much told the story.
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 27, 2004 10:45 AM
Lonny, great report. That's what I like about you guys!
Thanks, LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32369 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Dawgkilla
Knows what it's all about
Member # 26
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posted December 05, 2004 09:02 AM
I found a (probably) bobcat skull (and some bones) out around Last Chance, CO a few years ago..not sure if it was natural causes.
We were WAY out in the boonies so I guess it's possible it was shot and skinned on the spot...
Dawgkilla
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Dawgkilla
Posts: 54 | From: Sterling, CO | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted December 05, 2004 11:13 AM
Dawg, how's it going? Shoot me an email.
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Dawgkilla
Knows what it's all about
Member # 26
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posted December 05, 2004 07:32 PM
Marc, you have mail!
Dawgkilla
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Dawgkilla
Posts: 54 | From: Sterling, CO | Registered: Jan 2003
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