[Bristol-Birds] Black Bear frequenting bird feeders in South Bristol Tennessee

From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:58:35 -0500
A couple who have been good friends of mine for
many decades, have enjoyed a Black Bear coming 
to their bird feeder in south Bristol Tennessee.

I was told today that the bear began eating seed
from their feeder last Thursday, 4 Nov, and was
a regular visitor (day and night) until last seen
late Tuesday of this week.

About the only significant damage caused was 
the bending of a pole that held one of their feeders.
They said the bear is very gentle with the feeders
and carefully removes the bird seed.

They estimate it might weigh about 150-175 pounds
and stands what appears to be nearly six feet when
feeding.  It is fearless of people and
other nearby distractions.  They say it just looks at
them any time they are in a noticeable place.  They
have had to be very careful and keep their dog out
of sight.

The were shocked when they contacted the Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency about this fearless animal
and a spokesperson for the agency indicated no concern
with their situation, except to comment that it is bear
season and a hunter will kill it very soon. Of course they 
live in the city and hunting is not allowed in the city limits.

The bear has been around the city for at least three
weeks.  Bert Hale reported on Bristol-Birds Net on 26 Oct
having seen a shiny half grown black bear attempting to 
cross the 1300 block of Windsor Ave. in Bristol , TN--he 
went back into the knobs. 


A young bear cub was spotted 
this morning on Weaver Pike 
by employees of the Holston Bus 
Company about a mile from my 
house in Bristol Tennessee, 
according to a report posted 
online by the Bristol Herald
Courier.  David Crigger of the 
BHC took the photo of the 
young bear, whose mother and 
sibling were reported close by
and the cub was hiding out in the treetops until a city animal
control officer arrived and requested that a local homeowner 
put their dogs up. The dogs had been keeping the bear at bay, 
and the bear was literally stuck until the dog was out of sight.
Once the dog was penned, the black bear ran down from its 
perch and darted across Weaver Pike.

According to the animal control officer on scene, 
there have been several bear sightings lately - most
likely because the bears are looking for food.

A few days ago the newspaper reported a Black Bear in 
the Skyline Drive area of the city near the Trinkle Hollow
boundary of Steele Creek Park. This is about a mile north
of where the bear began coming to the bird feeder in the
Lick Meadow Rd. area.  The Anderson St. location is
about two miles north of where the bird feeders are
located.

Several weeks ago, a Black Bear appeared at the
emergency room door of the Bristol Regional Medical
Center near I-81 in West Bristol.  Hospital employees
took a photo of the bear while it peered thru the double
glass doors into the hospital.  It soon left without incident.

Let's go birding or bear hunting . . . .

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
[Bristol-Birds] Black Bear frequenting bird feeders in South Bristol Tennessee

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