DNR Warning on Ely Bear...

[Kim1212]

I know a few people that have been on the so-called "private tours" with Lynn and I don't think they are quite what people believe they are. They do charge a lot of money for them, however. I can certainly see that perspective, Muthagoose, about the cash cow, and I don't disagree. Anyhow, the private bear courses do take small groups into the woods, but they are given instruction to not get too close, or confront the bears and as far as I know they are not allowed to feed or touch them. They do a few of them each summer but it also involves a lot of education, which may be a good thing. Whether they are truly appropriate or not, I am not sure as I've never been on one.

My problem with the courses is that I believe it makes the lay person, whose average day is spent at home, or in an office in Florida, feel like an expert on an animal they really know nothing about. I know people who have come to Ely and just randomly walk into the woods hoping to see a bear. Those types of people scare me, because they believe an education obtained on Facebook is good enough for them to walk into the woods. I don't know that Lynn knows those people exist, but they do. I've talked to them, and if it continues it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Lastly, I personally have more of a problem with the film crew that was in the woods last year, and how Gordan Buchanan was allowed to handle a cub. I'm sure it got great ratings but to me it represented Lynn selling out, and I still have a problem with it. If you haven't seen it, it's the "The Bear Family and Me" series that aired on Animal Planet. It's one thing to bring a few people in to observe, but to have a whole film crew tromping through the woods and interacting with the research bears, I thought, was horrible.

Enjoyed your photos, Steve!

[Jarrid Houston]

In Sconniw we can put out a little corn for deer hunting. I have had a few occasions where here comes a blackie, and you can guartentee he is notgoing to leave until the food is gone. Even if he know your there, he dontcare!!

[Jarrid Houston]

Holy man, anyone read the Duluth Tribune front page today....Now that is a great story..I would prolly wet my pants!

[Jarrid Houston]

Here is the story!!!

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/208186/

[bigbucks]

Yeah right he was "waiting" in the outhouse. We know what he was doing in the outhouse for a half an hour after that...

[rkhinrichs]

"waiting" is right!

[bobbymalone]

the thing that really got me about the story, is that homeboy is doing his writing on a typewriter...

hipsters are the new northwoods invasives lol.

[Jarrid Houston]

hahahaha awwwww Yeah, at least he is bringing back old school ways! kinda..

[jkcmj]

I know a few people that have been on the so-called "private tours" with Lynn and I don't think they are quite what people believe they are. They do charge a lot of money for them, however. I can certainly see that perspective, Muthagoose, about the cash cow, and I don't disagree. Anyhow, the private bear courses do take small groups into the woods, but they are given instruction to not get too close, or confront the bears and as far as I know they are not allowed to feed or touch them. They do a few of them each summer but it also involves a lot of education, which may be a good thing. Whether they are truly appropriate or not, I am not sure as I've never been on one.

Kim1212, just to clear up a few misconceptions you have.

I have stayed at the research cabin on two different week long occasions, and I have been around for the bear courses and the film crews for several years. The BBC crews lived and filmed there for several seasons. The bear study courses bring 80 new people through each season. Interaction and touch is encouraged between the "students" and the bears, as well as the neighbors and other visitors. Lynn even encouraged my son to have a yearling male, "Mickey",now deceasaed, eat a treat out of his lips(as he has demonstrated to people at the bear center many times with "Ted", the gigantic male. Each student pays $2000 per week long stay, for a total of $160,000 per year. Peanuts compared to the nearly 1 million in donations they have recieved since the start of the 1st Lilly Den Cam.

Lynn Rogers research bears all have unlimited access to food, especially just before and during hunting season when they feed all of the finest nuts, etc, to keep the bears in the yard late to halp keep them off of hunters baits. So the fact that they approach cars and strangers begging food is not due to the poor berry crop in the area.

The fellow that was injured when a bear swiped him with her paw was a fellow by the name of Don,last name to remain anonomys, who lives in eagles nest, a few houses down from Lynn's place on Trygg road. I was told he approached the bear boldly, believing it was another bear he had been familiar with, but it ended up being a different bear. The nervous bear reacted defensively, when the guy approached to pet or feed it as he had done with other bears many times. He was cut from his forehead down along his cheek and through the lips, as well as getting a couple of black eyes for his misdeed. Lynn, in pushing his luck a few times, has also been swiped and scratched in the same manner. This was even featured on one of the videos they aired.

[Kim1212]

Thank you for clearing that up for me. If Lynn is indeed encouraging that kind of interaction, that is extremely disappointing. I like to have all of the information so I really appreciate you being willing to share your experiences so I can keep my opinions fluid.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Lynn is a circus trainer, at best! It's disappointing people buy into is "research".....

[jkcmj]

Thank you for clearing that up for me. If Lynn is indeed encouraging that kind of interaction, that is extremely disappointing. I like to have all of the information so I really appreciate you being willing to share your experiences so I can keep my opinions fluid.

If you would like to see some photos/videos of our time at the station, just send me an email address and I will forward them...

And honestly, from my perspective, if I thought it was overly dangerous, I would not have allowed the interaction. However, the situation developing over the Lily addicts, is dangerous, at least to our hunting rights and scientific wildlife management.

[jay83196]

If thats how it is I agree a complete joke and that is not natural or research to encourage that interaction with bears or any wild animals. Wish everybody realized that this doesn't have any benefit.

[Kim1212]

that's not really necessary, I believe you, but thanks for the offer! I agree with whoever said it was a dangerous situation, and I think it gets worse every day. I think Lynn plays on the emotions of the fans so he can keep the "army" at bay until he needs them. I was a big fan of them and their research but the more time has gone by, the less supportive I am finding myself. I think that his methods aren't as bad as many believe, as they are similar to Jane Goodall and others whose research was ground-breaking and life-changing, but he is taking it to levels that it shouldn't be taken to. I find that very disappointing and, well, dumb. All it takes is a fraction of a second for an accident to erase any credibility he has left.

[TooTallTom]

Regarding Jane Goodall and her style of research on gorillas versus similarly-styled research on black bears, I think that comparing great apes and black bears is kind of apples and oranges.

I don't think that anyone has ever tried to teach sign language to a black bear...

[Kim1212]

That's true, it is very different in some ways. But prior to her research many people had a lot of misconceptions about apes, just like many still do about bears. They aren't apes, that's for sure, but I'm pretty certain that most bears are smarter than our dog...though that doesn't say much, heh.

[TooTallTom]

That's true, it is very different in some ways. But prior to her research many people had a lot of misconceptions about apes, just like many still do about bears. They aren't apes, that's for sure, but I'm pretty certain that most bears are smarter than our dog...though that doesn't say much, heh.

Especially if you're talking Labs...

Please excuse me while I go duck.

[Kim1212]

LOL we actually have a boxer, so she looks as dopey as she acts. At least labs can look smart even if they aren't! And yeah I'd duck if I were you

[jkcmj]

I ran across this interesting Op-Ed piece from South Carolina, where an attendee of one of Lynn's Bear Courses recites her experience during the course, while objecting to a proposed bear hunt in the coastal region of SC.

A Quote from Barbara Happe VanBlarcum, the author of the Op-Ed, and attendee of one of Rogers week long courses;

"I studied bears with Dr. Rogers in Minnesota, where it is legal to feed bears, and I have met and fed dozens of bears by hand in the deep woods and heard them communicate with each other – the most fun I ever had."

Read more: http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/09/07/2376284/no-bear-hunt-necessary-here.html#ixzz1XOikcb1Q

[mrklean]

anti hunters crack me up, they really just dont get it, i get a kick out of this quote to

"The Bear facts: Black bears are timid and non confrontational, says Lynn L. Rogers, PhD., who has studied bears in the wild for 44 years He says you are more likely to die from bees or a dog or spider or lightning or a vending-machine accident than from a black bear"

I guess i should carry a .45 when i go get a candy bar next time like some do when they go to there bear stands.

"If you want to scare away a bear, just shout and stomp your foot and clap your hands, and s/he’s outta there."

Love to see how that turns out with a mom and her cubs.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I'd like to see him tell that to the multiple people's families that have died this year to bear attacks..... Lynn is delusional!

[Kim1212]

Grizzlies generally are far more aggressive by nature than black bears, so you can't really compare the 2.

Lynn is high on his own ego. He feels like a rock star, with an army waiting for him to say jump, and I think that drives him more than the money even does. I've watched people line up to get autographs from him for hours, and he loves every second of it. I am not so sure that his ego isn't driving his decisions more than anything else at this point.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Plenty of people get attacked by black bears, too. Sure, not many die, but I'm sure it's not a party when it happens.

I attended college with a gal that got attacked by a black bear. The permanent scars on her face would be something I'd like Lynn to see as he spews his B.S.

[Steve Foss]

Grizzlies generally are far more aggressive by nature than black bears, so you can't really compare the 2.

Lynn is high on his own ego. He feels like a rock star, with an army waiting for him to say jump, and I think that drives him more than the money even does. I've watched people line up to get autographs from him for hours, and he loves every second of it. I am not so sure that his ego isn't driving his decisions more than anything else at this point.

That's too bad. Just makes me shake my head.

There will eventually be two groups of losers because of that scenario. One is human, the other ursine.

I used to think the Shute refuge went too far in the direction of feeding bears in the proximity of people, but that's tame in comparison to what has developed over the last couple of years at the research station. It's not my place to judge and lay blame. Fame can turn anyone's head all the way around.

[Muthagoose]

Steve I agree.

Kim your dead on..