Homeowner kills bear in driveway
Saturday, May 22, 2010
LEAVENWORTH — A rural homeowner shot and killed a large female black bear in his driveway Wednesday morning after the bear returned for a bucket of molasses that she and a cub had gotten into last week, authorities said.
It is the third bear killed in the past two weeks in the upper valley, where state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say bears have become accustomed to eating garbage, birdseed, pet food and apparently molasses.
The homeowner, who lives near East Leavenworth Road and Dempsey Road, had stored a five-gallon bucket of molasses under his porch when the mother and yearling first visited, said Rich Beausoleil, bear and cougar specialist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in Wenatchee.
He said officers trapped and euthanized the year-old bear last week, but the 190-pound mother continued to return to the man’s house.
Wildlife officer Dan Klump, who took the call, said the homeowner — who works in the food service industry — had cleaned up the molasses as best he could. But bears have an excellent sense of smell, and this bear probably remembered the treat and could smell remnants in the soil.
He said the bear was not acting aggressive, but had no fear of people and would not leave.
The homeowner was justified in shooting the bear, Klump said.
The bear and her cub had been moved to the Stevens Pass area last fall, and returned this spring, giving her “two strikes.”
Stevens Pass is about 25 miles from where the bear was shot.
But both Klump and Beausoleil say the homeowner and surrounding neighbors could have prevented the deaths of all three bears — including one shot and killed by a Plain homeowner two weeks ago — and the removal of a mother and two cubs.
“The community really killed that generation of bears,” Beausoleil said. “It’s cold and it’s hard, but it’s the truth.”
Wildlife officers have responded to dozens of calls in the upper valley in the last couple of weeks.
“Every single one of them — and this is true for 95 percent of bear complaints — it’s garbage, it’s bird feeders, it’s pet food,” he said. “When you have a calling card of 10,000 calories of molasses, you can’t blame a bear for taking advantage of that.”
Beausoleil said spring is a critical time for bears, who have lost up to half of their body weight over the winter and are looking for anything and everything to eat.
“If you and I miss breakfast and lunch, we’re going to eat dinner. These guys miss a meal and they die,” he said.
Klump said as long as people in the area continue to provide food for the bears, they will continue to be a problem.
“I’ve handled calls where folks tell me, ‘I’m a bird lover.’ Well, can you design a creative way to secure a bird feeder out of reach of the bear? he asked.
“It’s a community effort, to make sure you and your neighbor’s property is bear proof and cougar proof,” he said.
Klump added that many people in North Central Washington live in bear country, and they do not have problems because they keep pet food, garbage, and bird feeder away from wildlife.
K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512
mehaffey@wenatcheeworld.com
» 50 comments on this story
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Comments
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3 years ago
Idiots should secure their trash and not leave food out in the yard.Bears get used to that sort of activity fast.Real smart,now you got a cub that's probably too young to survive without the mother.
francis 3 years ago
I agree.
girlfawkes 3 years ago
No, Ron- They killed the cub too. Shame.
Dawn 3 years ago
That is just sad both bears were killed. And to the molasses man, you know you live in a area where there are bears, why store that outside? I think he should be fined for shooting the bear.
3 years ago
girlfawkes (r wools) says...
No, Ron- They killed the cub too. Shame.
"He said officers trapped and euthanized the year-old bear last week, but the 190-pound mother continued to return to the man’s house."
Missed that part of the article.I don't understand why it was euthanized.They could of tranquilized and taken the bears deep into the Wenatchee forest and let them go.
I am a hunter but I do not believe in this encroachment into natrual habitat that is taking place on a large scale across the country.Many areas I used to hike and play in are now full of modular homes.Stop building homes in these areas and treating the animals that were in those areas before humans as the invader.It is you that is the threat,not them.
A couple of decades from now we aren't going to have any forest left if this crap keeps up.
3 years ago
They said in the article last week they are euthanized as a "2nd chance" rule. If they come back after relocation, that was their second and unfortunately, last chance.
''The agency set up two traps, and caught a female bear in a backyard Monday on East Leavenworth Road. The bear had a tag in its ear, and was identified as one that had been trapped near Leavenworth last year and relocated to the Stevens Pass area.
Since the bear already had been given a second chance, it was euthanized by a veterinarian, Beausoleil said."
3 years ago
I didn't get that the cubs were euthanized. This is the rest about the mother from that article.
"A female bear was caught in another trap near Leavenworth on Tuesday. The female had two cubs, which were not trapped. So she was relocated into a forested area nearby so she could reunite with her babies. Beausoleil said he hopes the trauma of being trapped and moved will prompt the bear to leave the area with her cubs."
SteveML 3 years ago
Spring, this isn't the cubs from the story last week.
Girlfawkes this wasn't a cub that was euthanized. It was a yearling they euthanized last week and now they did the same to mom because both came back from Stevens Pass area after being relocated from last year (second chance rule). Hopefully people put their food and garbage away so bear forage away from homes. I saw on the news they are having the same bear "problems" on the west side.
Howa 3 years ago
What an idiot!!!! Why should the bears be punished and killed for doing what they do? Shame on this person.I thought it was illegal to shoot a bear that wasn't causing any harm. you live in the woods dude go move to seattle if you can't handle keeping your garbage secure. Alaso the Fish and Wildlife people should be doing a little more to educate people about leaving garbage and food out, I say the guy that shot the bear should be prosecuted for unlawfull death of a bear and animal cruelty.
jenn14 3 years ago
This is a sad end for the mom and cub. The people who move from cities and want to live with nature are fooling them selfs because as soon as a wild animal shows up they want them removed or killed. Remember you moved to them they didn't come to you.
girlfawkes 3 years ago
"Girlfawkes this wasn't a cub that was euthanized. It was a yearling they euthanized last week and now they did the same to mom because both came back from Stevens Pass area after being relocated from last year (second chance rule)." . I realize it was a yearling, it was also a "cub" in the sense that it was an identified female's offspring, and still under her care at a year old. Still, shame on all involved. I'm all for protecting your hearth and home of encroachment by aggressive, dangerous animals, (like the lion that attacked livestock last year) but not simply foraging wildlife that is making no aggressive action. Especially when the homeowner is complicit in setting the "bait" that draws them in. They should be fined at the very least.
lonedog3 3 years ago
It is sad that any wildlife has to die but when they are being shot just foraging for food makes it even worse. I don't have bears but I do have coyotes and if it is legal to lure foraging bears in to the killing fields then I would think it is okay to lure these coyotes in and do the same. It would be a lot easier than making sure I have nothing on the property to attract them. These people live in bear country and have been told repeatedly not to put out anything that will attract wildlife. The two that shot simple foraging bears need to be charged. To kill off an entire generation of bears is unexcuseable.
vikz1911 3 years ago
The article said the bear was not being aggressive to him right, so why shoot it?why not just try to scare it off by firing the gun safely near the bear?And FYI I saw the other 2 cubs they rescued and they already moved/relocate them to Idaho where they can grow enough and be released back to the wild..
Gator 3 years ago
I am in complete agreement with everyone's comments. I, too, have never heard of anyone leaving 5 gallons of molasses under your deck, especially if you live in bear country...
. At the very least, this guy should be fined for being an idiot. I hope he doesn't reproduce... .
lonedog3 3 years ago
And from WDF&W you expected something different? The original dudley dorights of the northwest?
coreyrl 3 years ago
hhhmm If you ask me sounds like the moron baited the bear. You say the bear was not aggressive, SO LEAVE IT ALONE!!!, I assume you shooting it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Second part I have a problem with is you live in the mountains, you should have a clue about the widlife. Have you ever watched the Spokane news and seen all the moose and wildlife in peoples yards These people have grown accustomed to wildlife as you probably should and they aren't shooting everything they see.
timrice 3 years ago
Hey K.C.,who originally reported this story to the LE officers? Was it the killer,a neighbor? "But both Klump and Beausoleil say the homeowner and surrounding neighbors could have prevented the deaths of all three bears — including one shot and killed by a Plain homeowner two weeks ago — and the removal of a mother and two cubs." Years ago we would go camping by Lion Rock,up Blewett Pass.1 time we encountered a bear,and all it took was 1 shot from a 30.06,and we watched that bear run away probably 2 miles uphill.And let me tell ya,it didn't take long and he was out of sight! If the homeowner would have shot a tree or the ground,their would still be 2 live bears.It's called poaching,he needs to go to jail!
beargirl 3 years ago
This is 2010. Why doesn't the Department of Fish and Wildlife know a black bear is prey, NOT predator? I spent months logging into bear.org and learning so much about black bears. Bears are afraid of us. How many people know that a bear doesn't growl? Saw it in the movies, eh? They use the growl of other animals to make the bear look like it is growling. They are not meat eaters. They like plants, nuts, ants, honey and molasses.
3 years ago
Sounds like a case of baiting to me. And why only move the bear 20 miles away or less than a days walk for it.
So that was a bear we saw along side the hiway near Monitor. We thought it was. Yep, he/she was pretty close to town. Thought it was an odd place to see a bear.
3 years ago
mehaffey 3 years ago
It's K.C. Mehaffey, World staff writer here.
I checked with Washington Fish and Wildlife Officer Dan Klump this afternoon so I could clarify some information about the bear that was shot in a driveway outside of Leavenworth last week. Here's what he told me:
The homeowner called him immediately after he shot the bear. Basically, he had called about the bear several times before, but this time, his wife had just put two of their children into their vehicle, and ran back inside and when she came back the bear was between their vehicle and the porch. The homeowner yelled and screamed, but the bear wouldn't leave. He said although the bear was not aggressive, she also was not afraid of people, and the homeowner was justified in shooting her, especially because he could not get to the vehicle where his children were without getting dangerously close to the bear.
Klump also said that, while the homeowner made the mistake of putting the molasses under the porch, the bear had long been accustomed to coming to people's porches and garbage cans for food. She and her yearling were relocated twice last year, and came back this spring. The mother knew better than to go back inside the trap, so they were unable to catch her. He said because she was so used to people, it was just a matter of time before she got into trouble. If they had captured her, they would have euthanized her, he said. And just to clarify, there was a lactating mother bear who was captured in one of their traps on the Icicle River this year. That mother was not relocated because she was lactating, and they have not had problems with her or her cubs since. Klump said he's not aware of any bears that have been relocated to Idaho.
lonedog3 3 years ago
Can we keep the bears and relocate the people to maybe seattle?
Tim 3 years ago
"Can we keep the bears and relocate the people to maybe seattle?" . Great Idea!! HAHAHAHAHA ;p SAVE THE BEARS- and give them to the tree huggers!
lonedog3 3 years ago
so I am thinking, since no charges are going to be filed and it would appear that the people living in "bear country" have an open season on bears with baiting fully allowed, can we use the same tatics to rid the orchards of the vicious mule deer gangs? With those razor sharp hooves and dangerous spear like weapons sticking out of their heads I do feel threatned by their mere presence. I fear for my life everytime I go near an orchard. What about the poor defensless people living south of wenatchee? There are gangs of potentially violent deer roaming the yards down there are there not? Fair play is fair play is it not? If the game department allows the eradication of one species of native wildlife out of season useing illegal baiting (yea right he forgot he was storing all that molass by his porch) then why not use this same method to rid the orchards of potentially dangerous deer? Deer are not afraid of people and go corner one see how they fight.
girlfawkes 3 years ago
I'm curious after the update what the ages of these children are? Obviously they were secure enough in the vehicle for the mom to run into the house long enough for a bear to wander up. Why not just leave them there for a few minutes while watching, on full alert and ready for action until the bear left the immediate area? Are we expected to believe that the bear was going to break into the car and eat them all up while the cringing parents watched helplessly? . My 2 cents is still mostly on the side of the wildlife, unless there is a clear and immediate indication of aggression. If you live in or near the woods you MUST do things differently to minimize risk. Don't ever let small children play outside, wait for the bus, go for nature walks, ect ect ect ad infinitum UNATTENDED. Duh. . If you can't take the risk, get out of the woods. Nature doesn't conform to your idea of safety or an idyllic woodland paradise. It IS red in tooth and claw. Respect it or GTHO. . This is an entire generation of animals gone, which sadly lessens my or my own child's opportunity to observe without interfering in the coming years. I would love to show my child that aspect of our natural world, sad that they showed their children the destruction of it.
3 years ago
Bears are unpredictable and they can be menacing if they lack their natural fear of humans. You wouldn't want to perpetuate a lack of fear for humans in the gene pool of the next generation of bears. Bears are not an endangered species. There's still plenty of room for them up in the hills where they can hunt and fish and forage to their heart's content. Unfortunately, like most wildlife, they are opportunists and a sweet reward becomes a powerful incentive to return to the scene. That part is natural and fine, but the part where they lack fear of humans is not! The next step becomes a challenge and then an assertion of authority over a chosen territory. That's when things get out of hand and you don't want to go there. In a perfect world where all animals are warm and fuzzy, we would have liked to have seen them relocated a few hundred miles away. Had they been an endangered species, that probably would have happened, but bears are not and the cost of relocation is just too high--especially when viewed in terms of the risks associated with perpetuating an animal that lacks a natural fear of humans.
3 years ago
This natural fear of humans thing, is that something that is taught to baby bears in bear school or something we humans think should be natural so we can justify putting 5 gallons of molasses under our porches to lure them in so we can shoot them?
girlfawkes 3 years ago
"There's still plenty of room for them up in the hills where they can hunt and fish and forage to their heart's content." . I'm assuming that you mean room that's free of human presence that actually has natural food this time of year? Where would that be? . "That's when things get out of hand and you don't want to go there. In a perfect world where all animals are warm and fuzzy, we would have liked to have seen them relocated a few hundred miles away." . The problem with this is that there is no "few hundred miles away" left! The encroachment by humans pushes further and further into spring territory every decade. Sure, there are some fabulously beautiful wilderness areas where human impact is minimized by law, but those areas were chosen more for their aesthetics that appealed to US than their ability to support wildlife. Most animals MUST come down to lower elevations in the springtime as a matter of survival. The whole icicle valley and surrounding area is prime natural foraging territory for bears, humans or not. I guess my point is, how can you tell the difference between a bear crossing your woodland property on it's way to a natural food source and a bear looking for scraps? Bears need that entire area for survival and so there IS going to be human contact. Hunger is a powerful motivator that may easily be mistaken for a lack of fear, and this time of year the bears are very hungry. The lower elevations have the natural food first. What good does it do to move the bears up the passes where there is still snow and not much food? They will just come back down, hungrier then they were the last week and MORE "willing" to endure human contact. . So again- if a person perceives the risk to be so large that they have to shoot the non-menacing wildlife, perhaps they should leave the woods. . I still think there is enormous culpability here than needs to be addressed, and hasn't really. Fines for locals would probably go a long way toward making them pull their heads out.
cascadecannahelp 3 years ago
This was a total bait job, having been a hunting guide for many years and yes you can bury molasses 5' deep and the bear can and will find it so under a porch just makes it easier. I'm appalled by this story and any other where an animal is killed because of an idiots actions, why not shoot into the air first instead of shooting the bear first. I live in the heart of their world and in 6 yrs of living here I have only had 2 bear that were visible from my house. 3 dogs out the door and up the closest tree it could find, they are not going to stand against you unless it has a cub close. I even have to store some trash for months before able to get it out and still have never had these kinds of problems. You moved into their world they didn't move into yours. This man should be fined heavily for illegally baiting bears.
3 years ago
Well, I don't think there was any intent on the part of the homeowner near Leavenworth to bait and shoot a bear that had lost its instinctive fear of man and, no, 'instinctive fear of man' isn't a subject taught at Yogi Elementary. You either have it or you don't. Look, this happened near Leavenworth! How you can come down so hard on the homeowner with a young family for doing what he thought was necessary--and the game official agreed--is beyond me. I would have done the same thing. Y'all seem to have this idealistic, warm and fuzzy attitude toward bears. Well, that's all well and good sitting in the comfort and security of your own home where you've probably never had to deal with a bear other than Winnie the Pooh. Until you have experienced the unpredictable nature of a bear you shouldn't judge what someone else felt they needed to do in a rural setting very close to Leavenworth. I think it was justified and for once the game official and I are in agreement.
3 years ago
3 years ago
I am still trying to see how we went from storing a 5 gallon jug of molasses under your porch (who does that anyway?) to intentionally baiting a bear? I hate the fact that he shot the bear, but I don't think he was baiting the bear. If it says that somewhere, I missed it.
Mav was right, a sweet reward is a powerful incentive. I wish, as Girlfawkes pointed out, the bear could be transported someplace where the food supply is available this time of year.
I have always voted on preserving more wilderness areas and WA state is a great state for this. Unfortunately, preservation is not a priority for many.
3 years ago
http://www.maltproducts.com/products.molasses.html
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/171456/Plantation-Barbados-Unsulphured-Molasses-5-Gallon.htm
timrice 3 years ago
The story says"he works in the food industry",hmmmm,I wonder if the industry he works at,is missing 5 gallons of molasses?If he'll "POACH a bear,he'll "STEAL" molaases!
3 years ago
mavulous (mav ulous) says...
Good Lord! Shoot into the air near Leavenworth! Maybe you don't do that because what goes up comes back down?
Pretty rural area up there Mav.As long as you use common sense the bullet isn't going to come back down and hit anyone.Stop being so dramatic.
girlfawkes 3 years ago
"Good Lord! Shoot into the air near Leavenworth! Maybe you don't do that because what goes up comes back down?" . So shooting in the direction of your children is better? Remember, the bear was between them (in the car) and the house. I used to have several accounts on both Dempsey and E Leavenworth road, and it is the WOODS. Homes are spread out with tons of green space in between them. . I'm not thinking that he was intentionally baiting these animals either, but it is still a crying shame and something should be done to impress upon the locals how very important it is to live compatibly with the wildlife. . "Y'all seem to have this idealistic, warm and fuzzy attitude toward bears. Well, that's all well and good sitting in the comfort and security of your own home where you've probably never had to deal with a bear other than Winnie the Pooh. Until you have experienced the unpredictable nature of a bear you shouldn't judge what someone else felt they needed to do in a rural setting very close to Leavenworth." . I've had several run-ins with bears in the Beehive/Mission ridge area while hiking, and never have I had a sense that they were "unpredictable" in a way that would cause me to use deadly force out of fear for my life. ALL animals are unpredictable, and no- nature isn't warm and fuzzy. It's hungry and has no sense of mercy. When you put yourself in a position to coexist with them, you must take steps to do just that- coexist. In my very rural area of East Wenatchee we've had coyotes, lions and moose sighted within 1/4 mile. I've seen coyotes and raccoons at the top of our drive. To me, this means not letting pets wander, or letting my child wait unchaperoned for the bus. Otherwise, I'm happy to have them near, and more than willing to modify my behavior to suit theirs. .
3 years ago
3 years ago
girlfawkes 3 years ago
"Must I draw you a diagram? The bear was not in the car, lol!" . Then why were the children perceived to be in immediate danger? People are in very close proximity to bears all the time from vehicles- Yellowstone and Glacier national parks immediately come to mind. The ONLY way I can see that this was even vaguely justified was if the children were old enough to get out of the car themselves but young enough to not know the danger of a bear. If that was the case they should never have been left unattended in a vehicle in any circumstance anyway. . I agree that a warning shot would have been the kind thing to do. There are tons of trees (It's the WOODS after all) that could have been shot into. . I disagree that this scenario HAD to play out this way like you claim. There are numerous steps that could have been taken to run off these bears, or barring that numerous steps that could have been taken to minimize the attractiveness of the home, like NOT LEAVING A FAVORITE BEAR FOOD UNDER THE PORCH. I'm surprised they don't have a bear running dog team in the area. They've proven to be a very effective deterrent in many areas. . What has happened has happened. I'm not of the opinion that it was intentional or that criminal charges should be levied. The guy made a few poor judgment calls IMO, and I think this is deserving of a fairly steep fine to prevent the same from occurring in this area over and over again. It's very sad that this has to happen and people need to be aware that the encroachment by humans is increasing the odds of encounters. I would assume that most of these people live in the woods because they thought they loved the natural world and want to be a "part" of it, or at least observe it daily. What is even the point when it comes to this? Some people just have more money than sense I suppose.
lonedog3 3 years ago
It seems that some people are allowed to drive down the streetsshooting up the neighborhood here in wenatchee with little or no fear of going to jail or hitting someone so why not in the mountains? Those bears have been coming up and down the mountains for food for centuries. The problem is now people have moved in to their areas as here is no growth management, and the bears are not wanted. Go by five gallons of molasses and legally poach them. It would be interesting how other fish and wildlife departments would deal with this.
3 years ago
3 years ago
And that is a good way to end this!!
But I still wonder who leaves molasses under their porch? What else does he keep under their? Wouldn't that also draw wasp's, rats, racoon, snakes, ants, etc?
3 years ago
chief 3 years ago
Wow, this story makes me sick...Seriously? It's getting as bad as Seattle over here..."oh no, there's a wild animal on our property so let's kill it!" get it together people! I am with the others who have suggested that this guy was baiting the bear....but hmmm, makes you wonder what he was doing with a 5 gallons of molasses under the porch...Maybe an ingredient for corn whiskey? Whatever, it's common sense, we are lucky enough to live in an area where we have so much wildlife (for now)....keep food and garbage cleaned up and use some common sense.
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