this just chaps my hide.

[Boar]

just read an article in my local paper titled, DNR asks hunters not to shoot radio collard bears. Now im not try to stir up an old wounded subject an sorry if i do. I totally respect the fact that radio collard bears provide valuable data on reproduction an habitat use that is used to manage our bear resource in MN. There are currently 35 collard bear in NW MN. not alot against about 22,000 of total estimated Pop. I respect all of this cause i love the resource.

Heres wat chaps my hide, Qoute from Garshelis, "we are asking that if hunters see ear tags or a collar on a bear they refrain from shooting it, researchers have invested a enormous amount of time an expense in these individuals."

Sorry for being selfish, but WHAT THE @#%&#@ DO YA THINK I'M DOING!. hours of time an money an money an money an money an time an time an money invested in trying to harvest a anmial, then im told, please dont take that one, we have alot of time an money invested in him. The Dnr has made it illegal to keep a slot wallye on LOW, they dont ask us to please put all walleyes back with in the slot because its vaulable to the resource, they made it illegal to do so. So i abide by the law.

Now Again fine, if this is wat they feel they need to do to manage the resource fine no problem, research, data, ect ect. is great. Sorry for ranting, sorry for sounding selfish, i love this resource an all it offers but in my opinion they should just make it illegal to take collard bears.

if im sitting in my stand in the end of Sept. an in walks a nice bear, a legal bear, an it has a collar, Im looking at my expenditures of all the time an money it took me to get this bear in front of me. Will i shoot it? No probably not\maybe I dont know, if was illegal, no of course not. Dont even know if I'll have the chance, but i do know that bear have been collard in my area an its just a matter of time before i'm presented with the plea of Please dont shoot that one. Just dont like being asked NOT to do something that is totally with in my rights of doing so.Anyway Bla bla bla bla. Whos up for cheese cake? Things should be a little more cut an dried, same with sows an 2nd yr cubs, Is it legal yes, is it a good idea absolutley not, but it's legal. Frustrating. Anywho pass the cheese cake

[Muthagoose]

What got me with this notice is how the state has adopted the wording off of the other "researchers" about "How valuable these bears are"..

Its not like they have to hug them to get collars on the bears and that the whole base to the others argument.The trust factor elliminates the need for drugging..What next a picture of the state biologist laying down with the bears feeding it..

Lets be real people the whole study thing has gone on for literally decades and what do we really know other than bear x feeds and controls area A and mated with Boar C while it traveled to Bills house hit his garbage cans and bird feeders.

The States the only research that has provided any food and climate intell on what they do during wet to drought. What more do we need to know??

Most of all at what cost? Anyone have an idea on just how many thousands of dollars has been spent on complaints ect regarding the ely group or what we have dished out to the states program and for what? What new intell has the state provided to us?? I have yet to see anything.

You guys remember the special mail notification that was sent out a couple years ago about not shooting the collared bears it was requested by a private and WE the license paying hunters paid for that. When it was already posted in the handbook,on the web,in the paper and posted at most shop when ya picked up your license. Any idea what that cost?

What can you read now thats any more informative than what was produced last year?

Seriously the greatest thing thats happened for bears is the fact theres a restricted season.. Even Lynn says its why the population has increased.. Going from 52 weeks of open season to 6 is the only good thats happened.. The argument of medical research can be done on any captive controlled bear so thats out.. Whats left that can benefit the common person...

How about we spend some of that MONEY on getting the lottery to run right next year..I really enjoyed I'm not,I am, back to Im not.. WTH?

Seriously has ANY of the costly research and hassles made you a better bear hunter? I was kill'n bears before and Ill be kill'n bear if they quit all together..

[jay83196]

Well said guys, I agree invest the money in updating that P.O.S. COMPUTER SYSTEM. And they wouldn't have much money if not for us hunters...

[Neiko]

This one always kills me. They want to study how a wild animal lives. Well unfortunately hunting is part of their life or the end of it! If we are protecting the animal isn't it skewing the test results? Might as well just study a caged one IMO then.

[x1957x]

Boar, I agree that it should be the hunters choice. If it isnt illeagal then its up to them. You have all the money into bait, gas, esp. if you have to drive 350 miles to hunt!To come down to the choice of what to do! Here's how it plays out, you pass a collared bear up and it goes to the next guys bait and Kablamoo. Its his problem or better yet you wake up the next morning and grab the local paper and it says Collared Bear hit buy local guy. Jeeze, i think its up to the hunter to live with the choice. (57)

[PEATMOSS]

WHOA! Take a few steps back and catch your breath guys!

For many years, the Mn DNR ENCOURAGED hunters to shoot the bears that they had collared, as hunter mortality was an important piece of data. However, much has changed since then and the DNR has vastly fewer bears collared at this time. The bears that are still collared are part of ongoing and important research, not only about bears, but valuable research by cardiologists that may some day save your life.

BTW, I am in no way condoning or supporting the quack "research" of Lynn Rogers and his organization. That is a complete other issue however.

[jerkbait]

just read an article in my local paper titled, DNR asks hunters not to shoot radio collard bears. Now im not try to stir up an old wounded subject an sorry if i do. I totally respect the fact that radio collard bears provide valuable data on reproduction an habitat use that is used to manage our bear resource in MN. There are currently 35 collard bear in NW MN. not alot against about 22,000 of total estimated Pop. I respect all of this cause i love the resource.

Heres wat chaps my hide, Qoute from Garshelis, "we are asking that if hunters see ear tags or a collar on a bear they refrain from shooting it, researchers have invested a enormous amount of time an expense in these individuals."

Sorry for being selfish, but WHAT THE @#%&#@ DO YA THINK I'M DOING!. hours of time an money an money an money an money an time an time an money invested in trying to harvest a anmial, then im told, please dont take that one, we have alot of time an money invested in him. The Dnr has made it illegal to keep a slot wallye on LOW, they dont ask us to please put all walleyes back with in the slot because its vaulable to the resource, they made it illegal to do so. So i abide by the law.

Now Again fine, if this is wat they feel they need to do to manage the resource fine no problem, research, data, ect ect. is great. Sorry for ranting, sorry for sounding selfish, i love this resource an all it offers but in my opinion they should just make it illegal to take collard bears.

if im sitting in my stand in the end of Sept. an in walks a nice bear, a legal bear, an it has a collar, Im looking at my expenditures of all the time an money it took me to get this bear in front of me. Will i shoot it? No probably not\maybe I dont know, if was illegal, no of course not. Dont even know if I'll have the chance, but i do know that bear have been collard in my area an its just a matter of time before i'm presented with the plea of Please dont shoot that one. Just dont like being asked NOT to do something that is totally with in my rights of doing so.Anyway Bla bla bla bla. Whos up for cheese cake? Things should be a little more cut an dried, same with sows an 2nd yr cubs, Is it legal yes, is it a good idea absolutley not, but it's legal. Frustrating. Anywho pass the cheese cake

AMEN BROTHER!!!!

[mrklean]

part of the research is seeing how old bears die where they were etc, personally i think the DNR is saying this because they dont want a giant outcry like last year they are getting pressure from private areas...Lynn Rogers

[Muthagoose]

"valuable research by cardiologists that may some day save your life"

Which can be done on any captive beard fed a revolving food source and offered the same climate changes.

I'll ask again. Since nothing new has been published in YEARS..

Has any of this spendy restrictive research helped make you a better bear hunter?

[BobT]

Quote:

They want to study how a wild animal lives. Well unfortunately hunting is part of their life or the end of it! If we are protecting the animal isn't it skewing the test results?

This was my first thought. It would seem to make more sense to ask hunters to return the collar to the DNR and perhaps provide some information about the situation at the time of the kill. As soon as a study is augmented from natural the test results are skewed and rendered invalid.

[Muthagoose]

Make it illegal to shoot a tagged bear next will be tagged deer ect this only opens the door for more fanatics to base thier grip and there will be more "researchers" just as soon as this precident is established.

It was the commissioners reason to NOT protect the bears recently....

Garshelis is only FOLDING and by doing this he is opening the door..

[SkitterPopper]

There was a show on Animal Planet this weekend about Lynn Rogers and his research center. The show was hard to stomach as they focused on all the "big bad" hunters out there. I completely understand the studies being done by Lynn and respect his choice to do it. However, they are wild animals and not owned by anyone. Me, personally, would not shoot one. It is unfortunate that if a person does decide to shoot one it will be like falling on a sword. They will be drug through the press and facebook pages as evil villains. Sad if you ask me.

One observation about the show on this weekend is that Lynn is walking a very fine line. He has a bear he named June and he has 100% trust in this bear. They show him crawl up to the bear and he takes a nap next to her. This is a wild animal and all it takes is one time and Lynn is done. I understand it is his choice but I would not be surprised if things go bad some day.

A person has to ask if Lynn is a root of some of these problems. If you are out in the woods making daily contact with these animals you are part of the problems. These bears are losing their fear of humans and that is not a good thing when hunting season comes along.

[bobbymalone]

Its not like they have to hug them to get collars on the bears and that the whole base to the others argument.The trust factor elliminates the need for drugging..What next a picture of the state biologist laying down with the bears feeding it..

If shooting a semi-tame bear is your thing than by all means shoot that bear with the pink ribbons. Be sure and pat yourself on the back for the business you will certainly manage to drum up for the anti-hunting groups.

doesn't matter if lynn's research is bogus, or if naming wild/tame bears or collaring them is "right". The fact of the matter is these bears are semi-tame, lynn's outfit names them and gives them facebook pages and they have a big following. And as we saw last year there is a big public outcry when one gets shot. Again, the ethics of collaring bears or shooting collared bears doesn't matter. It's the guaranteed public outcry that that should mean something to you if you value bear hunting.

So if you want to prove some imaginary point and think that you are saving the sport from lynn, go ahead and shoot that bear. And then come back here and chuckle with the fellas back here about the "citiots" that don't understand bears or the northwoods as the internet fills up with anti-hunting nuts posting about the guy that shot "Sarah the Bear". And piles of cash will show up outside of Ely to further support the cause that you don't believe in.

Or pass and shoot and one the 21,978 other "wild" bears in the state. It's your call.

[Neiko]

"Or pass and shoot and one the 21,978 other "wild" bears in the state. It's your call." Unfortunately the other 21,978 bears don't come by my stand.

[Muthagoose]

BM.....

The state is doing study on bears in the NW corner due to changing areas and feeding less on normal food sources.. Thats valid.

But the rest of the research is a waste of funds that could be used elsewhere...

As for shooting a tame bear not a problem someone did, they riled the troops to no avail.Judging by the results the commissioner didnt buy into it but if the head researcher drops you can bet it will change.Good thing some people in a position of power has common sense and is willing to keep things level......

As for them getting money, you are dead on.Its the base....

[bobbymalone]

Unfortunately the other 21,978 bears don't come by my stand.

Maybe if you can only attract semi-tame bears, you're doing it wrong

It sounds backwards, but if you don't want to "open up the gates" and make shooting collared bears illegal, then, uhh, don't shoot collared bears. It's that simple. don't push the state to make it illegal to shoot collard bears based on a negative public reaction. Which will certainly happen when it becomes evident that people are gunning for them to somehow prove their point.

[Muthagoose]

BM

Your last statement is well put.. I totaly agree.. It shouldnt be changed from influence of a group that only dwells on fear and missconceptions..

Which is why I salute the new Commish he looked evaluated and stood firm without fear of public ridicule....

[bobbymalone]

Which is why I salute the new Commish he looked evaluated and stood firm without fear of public ridicule....

this time

[lichen fox]

What gets me is how rediculous some of these studies are...Here in the NW you'll find about 25% of the current collerd bears...(in the no-quota area)...yes they are studying why the bears are migrating more this way and what they eat, etc...according to the "rules of nature" bears like larvae and grubs...clovers, grasses, leaves, berries, acorns, hazzle, dogwoods, etc...But you don't have to be a biologist to realize that bears also like "un-natural" foods like corn, sunflowers, soybeans, oats, doughnuts, man made wooden honeybee hives, and if they can't find any of that they'll eat what ever garbage or carion is available...The DNR is also doing a study up here just east of TRF with collerd deer, they are trying to figure out why deer will migrate greater distances than originally believed to eat agricultural crops instead of chewing on tree buds and what ever else they can find in the "forest"..."where they are supposed to live and eat"...on "natural foods"....Duh? When the deep snows and wolves depleted the deer population in the beltrami forest area a number of years back, where do you think the wolves went? They came this way...to the west where the deer were ever abundant...we started seeing more and more wolves around here...I think alot, (not necesarily all), of these reasearch projects are a big waste of money...I could see if it was a species that was in a real population decline...but come on...just because a certain species is changing it's "normal" behavior? Bear, deer, wolves, etc...wild animals are "adaptable" and will take advantage of whatever food source is available...and they also somehow seem to become "tolerant" of living close to humans...even if that "isn't natural"...Personaly, if I only had one bear hitting at shootable times, and it happened to be collerd, I would be making the call for the biologist to come get his equipment...

[Boar]

Well fox that has been the situation for over the last ten year for me, the populatation just isnt wat it is out east an north east. most time im straddled with just one bear to decide to take or not. The conservation reserve progran helped put hundreds of thousands of acres into habitat restoration. which created habitat for tons of pray species an plants. With the rest of the land to be farmed with desirable foods like corn, sunflowers, oats, an beans. Most of the crops are planted right nesxt to tributaries of the red river which has been ideal habitat for cover an reproduction. alowing bear to migrate from traditional habitat an grab ahold an thrive. I have also heard of some areas in no qouta might be eventually considered going to qouta from this reasearch. So there ya have it Wheres my grant? Fox you get some too. Wally I hear ya, maybe making it illeagal to shoot a collard bear might not be the best solution, an open the door as you say, but it can be very frustrating over here wen the only bear i might get could be collard an Im ased not to shot it, like fox says, i might be calling the researcher to come get his equipment. So heres what i propose. If I can prove that a collard bear is on my site, due to date an time pictures an regular visits, then they can compensate me with some of that grant money for the enormous amount of time, money an effort I've invested to get him on my pile. then they can have their collard bear. Boar

[x1957x]

If the DNR can track thier movements by the collar. How do you know that the DNR can check when he stops for a considerable time if he is on a bait? Good way of getting GPS cord. for bait sites! hum.. As far as shooting bear with a collar, I agree with Boar and Fox. A person puts alot of hard work and money into it and the time comes one evening to have one collared bear standing at the bait pile ( its the only one you have had on trail camera for 3 weeks ) Wouldnt be a hard decision for me!!

[bigbucks]

In other words, kapow! Haven't hunted them yet, but when I get my chance I don't think the collar will be in the way for where I'm aiming...

[PEATMOSS]

I do NOT want to get in a big peeing match with you guys, but I for one, value the work that our DNR folks have done in managing this resource. Bear management is a difficult and complex discipline despite how simple many of you may think seem to think it is. David Garshelis is a world renowned researcher and top notch game manager.

You have been ASKED, not required,to pass on collared bears. As an avid bearhunter myself, I'm really kind of ashamed by the attitudes I'm reading and the disrespect directed at our DNR.

[jerkbait]

PM, I think one of the reasons this chaps some bear hunters hide is because until a few years ago the DNR just considered a collared bear being harvested by a hunter a natural part of its life cycle. Seems now with Lynn Rgogers and face book the DNR has changed the way they think. When in reality being harvested by a hunter is a natural part of a bears life cycle. Not sure what I would do, but I know if it was a collared monster buck and the DNR asked hunters not to shoot collared deer, I would pull the trigger in a heart beat.

[Muthagoose]

Hope everyone even more informed now that you gotten your notice on collared bears in the mail regarding the Tower to Ely bears.. One small line about ear tagged bear otherwise its all on the privates.. And guess who got to flip the tab.. We did.. Ya know Im glad they sent it out because after seeing iot at the sporting goods shop when I applied,reading about it in the paper,seeing it on the news,seeing it on the web site and not only the states but several others and in forums.

The reminder also when we checked lottery status and when we got our licenses had not sunk in I needed to be reminded once more,Ole Dennis pulled another for Lynn just to apease.. The best part is we are'nt hunting in the zone.

Just for the heck of it I called 3 state offices asking for this years cost of sending it out.

Looks like Ill have to send in a writen certified request.... Funny how the DNR can increase license fees and consider laying off staff yet they can flip the tab for the privates...

When I get the cost figures ill post em..

So post up if you got the letter and your NOT hunting in that zone.