Every year I am taken by surprise by the start of the black bear hunting season, and this year is no different. The summer has escaped us and the warm season is coming to an end. This week’s weather has been forecasted for highs in the 60s with a few scattered thunderstorms. Classic fall patterns begin to leave a chill in the air as the leaves make their autumnal change.
Fall on the Gunflint Trail is a busy time for many residents including the bears. We hustle to get the projects finished before the snow flies while the black bears start scavenging for food to build up some fat for the winter.
The berries are gone and that means their easiest source of nutrition is no longer available. Black bears have a nose like a dog and are able to open door handles with relative ease. These clever animals are known for breaking and entering with little respect for furniture or floor. They become nuisance bears if they continue to damage property or threaten humans in any way, but really they are just trying to eat.
The Dumpster site by Loon Lake has been hit a few times this week even though each Dumpster is tightly locked from above. One Dumpster lid had been peeled open like a can of sardines, leaving empty trash bags scattered throughout the parking lot. They can sure make a mess in a hurry.
It reminds me of my 2-year-old daughter Sophia on spaghetti night. Somehow she manages to get it in her hair, as well as on the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Rachelle and I have had our share of bear problems in the past, but they have left us alone for awhile now… “knock on wood.”
During the construction of our house, we lived in a camper for a summer on the property. Camping like this teaches you a lot about the local wildlife. The most important lesson was to never leave any garbage outside. Seems obvious, I know, but I had a bear steal a case of plastic water bottles off of our deck once. If it resembles food in any way, they will take it. I found the case of water a few hundred feet away from our house and the bear had bitten into every bottle.
Rachelle tried scaring him away with firecrackers, but he was very persistent. I came home from work to find her and our wiener dog, Maggie, hiding in the camper with her car alarm going off. I knew that meant the bear had returned.
Warning shots from my shotgun scared him into the woods, but he would come right back a few minutes later. They are pretty smart creatures. Once he learned I was not going to kill him, the shotgun was no longer effective.
Gunflint Lodge has been having bear problems lately as well as some residents of Loon Lake. A black bear got into one of Gunflint’s cabins while the guests were inside. That had to be a little startling, to say the least. Kudos to Gunflint Lodge for offering a “true wilderness experience.”
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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