Ft. McMurray fires affect Spring Bears?

[broadfieldpoint]

I'm just wondering out loud here. I'm no biologist or scientist. But several threads here have mentioned the slow start to spring bear season. Granted, it's been wet/ cold the last week or so. I pose a totally different question. Did the fire from last year impact the bear populations in NE Alberta and NW Sask? I have not heard or seen this discussed but I've often wondered how large fires impact animal movement. Now that bear season is in full swing, I'm not hearing about lots of bear sightings or bears harvested. Any experts out there....

[Big Grey Wolf]

Not an expert, however when you burn or log the forest the black bear habitat of berries, moose/elk/deer calves which are their primary food source is gone for a number of years. Any black bear stupid enough to stay in large burn area will starve and not make it through a long winter in his den.

[KegRiver]

Studies have been done.

https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie...fire&bears.pdf

[catnthehat]

We have just as many bears as any other year , in town, in the bush, and on the sites .
Heck Hugenuge had a camera go through the fire and the Bears arrived back on cam betgird he did !
Cat

[buck]

the bears have been out and about
for a couple weeks around firebag
and forthills

[Big Grey Wolf]

Keg good study on grizz in Yellowstone, however much smaller fire and bears would have much undisturbed habitat. I had nice talk at BBque with F & W officer last summer he spent most of summer shooting black bears coming into Ft Mac Tim Horton and McDonalds for a burger as their habitat had been totally burned by the fire.

[Pathfinder76]

It's the same old story. I can't see any bears from the road or my couch. There must not be any.

[dmcbride]

I am sure there was a loss of food right after the fire for the bears, but all the new growth after the fire will provide more food for the bears and other animals this year.

[Flight01]

A lot burned but not everything burned. Fresh green forage and still game animals around.
Saw 10 black bear yesterday on my 3 hour round trip north of McMurray
Saw 2 caribou as well

[Bigstone]

Originally Posted by Flight01

A lot burned but not everything burned. Fresh green forage and still game animals around.
Saw 10 black bear yesterday on my 3 hour round trip north of McMurray
Saw 2 caribou as well

That's three dozen bears per day at least!!!! Who says road hunting doesn't work? I thought they were all back in the bush.

[broadfieldpoint]

Originally Posted by chuck

It's the same old story. I can't see any bears from the road or my couch. There must not be any.

LOL

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Bigstone

That's three dozen bears per day at least!!!! Who says road hunting doesn't work? I thought they were all back in the bush.

No, he said ten in a 3 hour trip not 36.
Cat

[Bigstone]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

No, he said ten in a 3 hour trip not 36.
Cat

If you have a twelve hour day and see about three per hour as he did thats a lot of bears. A little stretched extrapolation.

But, the number he did see is very high, I have seen about three black bears in the last four years.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Bigstone

If you have a twelve hour day and see about three per hour as he did thats a lot of bears. A little stretched extrapolation.

But, the number he did see is very high, I have seen about three black bears in the last four years.

Three bears in four years???

You can see more going to a museum in a day!!

[Bigstone]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Three bears in four years???

You can see more going to a museum in a day!!

That's a fact! I also know field operators who see two or three a summer - instead of per day like it was years ago.

[Blastoff]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Three bears in four years???

You can see more going to a museum in a day!!

Well you could walk in and out of the zoo, 10 times in one day so how many bears would you see? 3 or 30 in one day? Take a guess which is correct.

[Blastoff]

Last year on my way up there I seen 6 from La biche to Conklin, thought I was in a zoo. Just kidding, I was surprised to see them