to feed a bear is to kill a bear

As I was going through some pictures this morning  I came across my bear cub pictures from when I worked at an animal sanctuary.

It reminded me that soon  our "bear season" will be upon us. By bear season I do not mean  hunting them  but  rather the season that we are more likely to encounter  them both at our homes, especially those of us that are rural, as well as  while we are out and about enjoying mother nature. It  also reminded me that while they are wonderful creatures that there are a few things that we need to remember during bear season in order to  keep ourselves, our homes and homesteads , and our outdoor adventures safe from  the wild life while at the same time hopefully  giving the wildlife  a better chance at remaining wild life and not  just another casualty of  the "stupid humans." 

I use the saying "to feed a bear is to kill a bear" because  here in Ga atleast  any bear that becomes a nuisance bear is  killed if it is in a residential area or puts people at risk. The DNR used to  move them once from the area and  put a collar on them to monitor but in the last year or two it has been decided that our estimated  population of 2500 bears is plenty for the state thus they enacted the kill policies.This includes  cubs that are left motherless for whatever reason. 

problems that arise from  fed bears   
 A fed bear can become aggressive (bolder) in seeking more food and may injure the person hand-feeding it.   

Problems can arise when a person uses food to lure a very hungry half-tame bear closer than it feels comfortable.

Often, fearful people jerk their hand back each time a bear opens its mouth to take food from it,some bears just give up and leave, but very hungry bears will become aggressive and go after the food.   

Or, the bear might feed calmly from the person's hand until the food is gone then suddenly feel crowded and might be too fearful to turn its back and leave, and it might lash out defensively giving someone a slap with one of its paws.Those paws are very strong and have very sharp  claws in them by instinct  when a bear swipes it sticks its claws out and pulls inward with  a lot of strength. Ask me how I know.:)

Bears are naturally afraid of humans, but may become "habituated" or accustomed to people along popular hiking trails, camping areas, tourist towns in the mtns, subdivisions being built, etc. Keep the area safe for humans and bears by never feeding or approaching bears. Should a bear come near you he is most likely curious or smells something interesting. A bears nose is  over 7 times  stronger than that of a dog.  If he stands up, he is not going to attack but is trying to get a better look or smell. Bear attacks are extremely rare and by comparison a person is about 70 times more likely to be killed by a dog.

 Extra caution should be used around a mama bear and her young. Much like every other type of mother out there, when it comes to her babies she is very protective and will become aggressive when  she feels they are in danger.

   Bears are powerful and strong animals, they should always be treated with caution and respect

Bears that become comfortable near people and communities are also more likely to get involved in a traffic accident and this could possibly cause injury or death to both the people in the vehicle and the bear.

around the homestead
  The most common food attractants are bird feeders, garbage, and pet food, but grills, livestock food, compost, and beehives can also attract bears.
    
 Residential bear problems may occur at any time of year, but are more common when natural food supplies are limited, usually in spring or in years when nut and berry productions are low.

 Most common bear problems have simple solutions. The typical problems involve turned-over garbage containers,trash littered across the yard, bears entering dog pens or coming onto porches to eat pet foods, or damaged bird feeders. However, bears that learn to associate food with people can cause property damage in their search for food around houses. Again, ask me how  I know.

If addressed quickly, problems are often resolved immediately. After a few failed attempts to find food, bears will usually leave the area and return to more normal wild food items.

If problems are ignored, property damage can not only get worse, but bears may lose their fear of humans. Bears habituated to humans pose public safety concerns and end up dead.

Black bears have a natural fear of humans, are shy, and usually avoid people. However, bears may be attracted to food sources in residential areas.

Prevention
 Secure your garbage: Store garbage indoors,in a shed,in a garage, or in a bear-proof container.
    
  Put garbage out in the morning of pickup, not the night before.
     
   Take trash to the dump frequently.
    
    Pick up pet food: Feed pets only what they will eat in a single feeding or feed them indoors. Remove the food bowl soon after pets finish. Pick up uneaten food. Do not leave food out overnight.
   
  Remove the bird feeder! Bears consume seeds and nuts found in the wild, so bird feeders become a favored target for bears. Bears eat about an 85%  vegetarian diet. Use bird feeders that have special clips so that you can bring them in at night.
   
  Clean the outdoor grill often.
    
  Do not put meat scraps or any other strong-smelling food in the compost pile. Consider an enclosed compost bin.
    
   Pick up and remove ripe fruit from fruit trees and surrounding grounds.
   
  Install electric fencing to protect beehives, dumpsters, gardens, compost piles, or other potential food sources.
    
  Talk to your neighbors: Make sure your neighbors and community are aware of the ways to prevent nuisance bear problems. One person not following the simple preventive measures in a neighborhood can cause the entire area grief.

If a bear is on or near your property, do not escalate the situation by approaching,crowding around, or chasing the bear. This also applies to bears that have climbed up a tree. The best thing you can do is leave it alone. Because bears are naturally afraid of humans, a bear that feels cornered will be looking for an escape route. By keeping people and pets away from the bear, you give it the best chance to come down from the tree and leave your property on its own.

Camping and hiking  tips

  Familiarize yourself with bear behavior and signs.

If camping, learn various ways of hanging food out of bears' reach, including counter-balances.

 Be sure tent, sleeping bags, and your skin are free of any lingering food odors.

 Avoid packing odorous food and nonfood (fragrant cosmetic, toiletries, etc.)items. Use bear-proof containers, doubled plastic bags or airtight canisters to seal in odors.
 Bring extra bags for leftovers and for packing out garbage, if necessary.

 Avoid taking a dog or keep it leashed

Remain on trail and never hike at night.

 Always stay alert.

 Discard garbage in bear-proof trash containers or pack out in sealed plastic bags. Leave no trace.

 Don't surprise a bear, especially a mama with cubs! Use caution when traveling in windy weather,down-wind, approaching blind curves, dense vegetation, and noisy streams, where a bear may not see, smell or hear you coming.

 Circling birds and/or offensive odors may indicate an animal carcass - avoid this area or use extreme caution.

 Never leave any food or backpack unattended.Hang all food stuff and toiletries etc atleast 10 foot in the air between two trees  12 foot apart.

Choose an open site away from dense vegetation, natural food areas, forest cover, or natural pathways Avoid messy sites and areas with bear sign: torn apart logs, tracks, trampled brush, scat, claw marks on trees.

Wash dishes and utensils immediately. Dispose of waste water downwind,100 feet from sleeping area or use a grey water pit and cover your thrown out water with soil.

If you  encounter a bear
     If a bear approaches you, stay calm.
 
 ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RUN (running may elicit a chase response in the bear).
  
 Pick up small children so they don't run, scream or panic.
  
 Gather the group together and restrain your dog.

 Let the bear know you are human; talk in a soothing voice. Lift arms overhead to look bigger.

 Slowly back away and avoid direct eye contact with the bear.

 If the bear lunges, snaps his jaws, slaps ground or brush with paw, he feels threatened. You are too close.

 The bear may also suddenly rush forward and stop as a "bluffing" tactic to intimidate you to leave; momentarily hold your ground, then keep backing away and talking softly.

 Don't crowd the bear; leave him a clear escape route.

 Retreat from the area or make a very wide detour around the bear.

  If he continues to follow you, stand your ground and yell, clap your hands, wave your arms, or throw something toward him. Repeat until he leaves.

 As a last resort - drop something like a hat to distract him but avoid tossing him food or your backpack as he will quickly learn to confront other humans for food rewards.
              

Remember enjoy the wild life but remember they are still wild. Lets keep them that way!

for more info check out

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/bears.htm

monday's mountain musings

Mid winter sunsets here on the homestead  are absolutely gorgeous. The sun goes down  just off our horizon and settles between the mountains and scenes like this are quite common place.

Baby Gumbalina (our newest grand baby) is due any day now. Over the last couple weeks  momma has been  having a few issues with heart rate of baby  and lack of movement so she has been in and out of the hospital and doctors four days a week. We have come to the conclusion after several ultrasounds and other assorted tests that there is nothing wrong with  Gumbalina other than she is sick of hanging out in  the baby cave and she has to pee. Any who, glad to report that  all seems well at present  and    she should be making her grand debut before  this coming Sunday.

Our  baby blizzard that was forecast last week was a complete bomb. We had a total of 51 ice pellets, 49 snow flakes, some really BIG winds and many, many inches of rain. Aint nothing like getting the damned yankee all excited  over winter weather  and then get nothing. We have a "special weather statement" up again for tomorrow tonight and some very cold temps rolling in though, so I can hope for an accidental blizzard to  roll in.

The world lost  a very dear man  Friday  night and  any one that reads this I am asking to  please send your good energies, vibes and prayers if you do such a thing to  his family. Although  the manthing and I had never met  him in real life we had known him for many  years on the internet and spent many hours on the phone with him. He always told me "I  aint been the best person, too many drugs n too much alcohol in and out of jail and trouble my whole life  but now that I am able to  help others I am  doing my best to make up for what I screwed up."

Blu Raven, my brother, you touched more hearts and lives and did more good than you  ever knew. I won't miss the 2 am  ramblin  drunken  phone calls asking for prayers but you will be missed my friend and you touched  us here if no others. May  you cross over  to the other side and find the peace and love you couldn't find  here in this realm . We LUVVVV YOU!

nuts- more specifically acorns

One of our past times here on the homestead is foraging wild edibles and one of our favorites  is the lowly acorn. In the fall when we begin hearing them hit the tin roof we know it is time to dig the bags out  and go  to scooping them up.

Way back when, the Native Americans used acorns as a main staple food in their diet ( upwards of 50% of the food) and during the great depression they  had a resurgence in popularity, unfortunately in modern times we have again left them by the wayside.   A good stand of oaks can  produce upwards of 6000 pounds of nuts per acre. Rivaling any modern day  farming crop per acreage they can also  be used as fodder for domesticated animals as well as wild life and as a viable food crop  for us humans.

All Acorns are edible, but some are larger than others and contain less tannic acid so are much easier to process.  Oaks are divided into two main families; red oaks and white oaks.  Red oaks have pointed tips and white oaks have more rounded lobes on their leaves.  It’s the white oaks that have the biggest and the best Acorns with the least amount of tannin.

Acorns have  a high content of fats and carbohydrates, undesirable traits in today’s culture, but of paramount importance in primitive societies for sustenance.  100 grams of acorn flour (roughly one cup) contains  500 calories, 30 grams of fat, and 54 grams of carbohydrate.  They also rate pretty high for vitamins and minerals in a nutritional profile, truly a survival food of high degree. Acorns make a fine flour  for breads and other dishes or  they can be used as whole nuts. They can also be used in place of any nut in  recipes.  

The gathering of acorns here usually begins in  mid to late September. We normally will go out and pick  up the fresh fallen ones each day over the course of a week or so. Once collected I  throw them all in  a bucket of water and floaters are tossed to  the critters. If the acorns float  it means the shell has been  drilled into  by moth larva and are no longer good. I then drain them  and set  them out in trays in the sun to dry for several days and then store them until I need to use them. 

One processes acorns depending on the end use. If cold processed the starch is not cooked (why the recommendation to keep all temps under 150F) and the resulting meal or flour will bind, can be used for making bread and as a thickener in soups and stews. If they are heat processed, boiling for example, they then make a poor flour because the starch is precooked so it will make crumbly bread that will not stick together, and one has also boiled off the fat, which is an important nutrition and flavor element. However, after leach boiling, while acorns roast well and candy well.

Sun Drying: Place the tray of acorns in direct sunlight for two to five consecutive days, depending on how "green" your acorns are when you collect them. Bring all your acorns inside each night. Drying in the sun is the traditional method. If the sky is partly cloudy or overcast, then you may need to dry your acorns for more than five days in the sun. (Note: If your acorns are not completely dry, they will soon be covered with mold and you will have to throw them away. Any acorns that are still partially green after a few days of drying should be separated from the rest of the acorns. Continue drying any partially green acorns until they turn completely brown.)

The advantages of sun drying are:
1. It helps to kill insect larva, and
2. It helps to reduce future mold problems.

The disadvantages of sun drying are:
1. Flying insects will lay eggs in some of the acorns and they will have to be thrown away.
2. The inner nutmeat looses some of its moisture and flavor.
3. The shelf life of the nutmeat is between four to six months.

If you have windows facing the sun, then you can place your tray of acorns in the sun inside your house and eliminate the flying insect problem above.

Oven Drying: Place the tray of acorns in a warm oven (150ºF) for about 30 minutes with the oven door slightly cracked to let the moisture escape.

If acorns  are heated above 165F by any means before leaching, the tannin binds to now-cooked starch and cannot be leached out.

The advantages of oven drying are:
1. Drying can be done very quickly.
2. It effectively kills all insect larva.
3. It eliminates future mold problems.

The disadvantages of oven drying are:
1. The inner nutmeat looses most of its moisture and flavor and it becomes very hard to chew.
2. The shelf life of the nutmeat is only two or three months.

House Drying at Normal Room Temperatures: Allow the acorns to dry gradually inside your home at normal room temperatures. The acorns should only be one layer thick on the drying trays. If the acorns are relatively green, this drying method normally takes between two to four weeks.

The advantages of room temperature drying are:
1. The inner acorn nutmeat retains most of its original moisture which adds to its flavor and chewability.
2. If your home is free of flying insects, then you will not loose any more acorns to insect larva.

The disadvantages of room temperature drying are:
1. It can take as long as four weeks to properly dry the acorns.
2. Each day you will need MORE house space to dry additional acorns.
3. Periodically you will have to inspect your acorns for tiny worms.
4. Future acorn nutmeat mold problems are more likely to occur.

http://grandpappy.info/racorns.htm 

Do NOT remove your acorn nutmeats from their protective outer shell until you are ready to process and eat them.

About a week before  I want to use the acorns I begin shelling them. The best way to do this is with a plain old nut cracker or if they are larger nuts a lobster cracker will work. Then I break the nut meats up into smaller bits so that leaching does not take as long They will next need to be leached of the tannins. There are several ways of doing this and depending on the type of acorn the length of time for leaching varies. Some of the white varieties need little or even no leaching while red may require several  hours or even days.

The manner in which you leach  your nuts is entirely up to you and dependent upon  how  soon you need them..  The Native Americans would put them in a sacks tie it closed and toss the sack into a flowing stream or river  and allow the water flow to leach them  over the course of several days. I tried this at our spring head and after two weeks the nuts were still bitter. I have read some folks tie them in a bag and stick them in a toilet tank and let the water in there leach them. Since we use an out house that  is impossible for us.

I have also  tried the crock or pail method and changing the water out a couple times a day until the water runs clear. If you do not need your acorns for quite some time this is  a good method to use as you can save the tannic water from the acorns and use it in many different ways. The tannins can be used to tan  hides, as a hair rinse, as an additive to your laundry water (non whites), or even as an astringent as well as a few other medicinal uses.

The method I have found that works best is by using hot water after  doing  the  crock or bucket method. I  put my acorns in  a bowl or pot and heat water to steaming hot, but  not boiling. Then I pour the  water over the acorns, stir and sit for 5 -10minutes and then drain.  I  repeat this process until the nuts are no longer bitter  and the water runs clear.

Once this is done you    again let the nuts air dry, sun dry or oven dry  for storage. I generally store mine in the  larger pieces of nuts in a container in the freezer and then   use as needed from there. They will stay fine in the freezer for a couple of years with no trouble. I grind  the nuts into a flour as needed for recipes. For a decent coffee like substitute you can roast the  nuts or parch them  and  brew a coffee.

My favorite acorn dishes are any of those made with  winter squash. Acorn  acorn patties  are one of my favorite dishes. Breads and muffins using either nut meats or flour are very yummy.  Here are a few more that  I have found  over the last few years. Some I have tried and some I  have not.

Acorn Pancakes
Acorn “Corn”bread
Boston Brown Bread

Acorn Molasses Cookies

Acorn Gingerbread

Acorn Muffins w/Wild Apples and Hickory Nuts

Here are a few more recipes