quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
Forty years ago we lived in the outskirts of the village of Owego, NY. Upstate is beautiful, and normal people live there. If it weren't for the city dominating the rural areas, I could be happy living there.

Cool. Owego was my place of birth. We had no hospital there so Ideal in Endicott. I don't believe I will ever go back to NY.

Most of my family live in Chenango Bridge just outside of Binghamton. My brother is always sending me pictures of deer, bear, fox and turkey in his back yard. He sees more wildlife there then I see in the North Georgia Mountains.

I've lived in western NY my entire life. As much as I hate the state government and political climate, I love where I live. We have great hunting, fishing, hiking and boating (you may have seen the photos I post taken on the water). I'm close to the Finger Lakes and the Big Lake (Ontario). These are the things that keep me here.

Most of my life we had no bears “upstate” near us. Then around 2004 or so one made its presence known by tearing a large hole it the side of the cabin. Also adding some claw marks to a phone pole that are over my 6’4” head.

In recent years I’d get one occasionally on my cams or see tracks in the snow. Last summer I got pics of 3 different bears, one of them an absolute hog! The numbers are clearly on the rise.

Or the real fun one, go out into the backyard to yell at the dog to quit barking look up and realize that he treed a black bear in the back yard. OH SHIT! Time to go back inside…

Our garage is detached and probably 20 yards from the house and only 10 from the adjoining woods beyond it. This time of year or anytime for that matter if I have the garage door open for any length of time without me being in there I have had bears wander in. I surprised one one time when I came back from the house and walked in the garage. I think we both crapped our pants. I ran back towards the house and he panicked for about ten seconds before finding his way back out and bolted into the woods. Of course he knocked over a bunch of things and made a general mess before he left. Now it's either open and close the door as needed or make sure I knock before entering!

Feral cats are the other issue they like to get in there when the door is open. I hate to think the condition my garage would be in if a bear cornered a cat in there!

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:


Probably already ransacked a few dozen bird feeders.

They're hard on bird feeders in spring.

When I looked out saw mom and her cub standing over what was left of my feeder that was filled with sunflower seed I opened the front door. The cub was curious and watched me come out of the porch but mom spun him around and swatted him on the rump to get out of here.