A Wild Night in the Back40 Orchard

[greyphase]

A bear played havoc in the Back40 orchard last night. 3 pear trees and a plum tree lost limbs and several apple trees were scratched and bent over knocking off numerous apples. In all cases no fruit was eaten. Here's just some of the damage.

This is the second time this year that this Keiffer pear has lost a limb to the bear.

Another Keiffer pear that lost a limb.

A Luscious pear.


The conduct was bent over on this small Wealthy apple tree and the apples were stripped off.


This plum tree lost a limb.


The joy of living in bear country.

 

[Neahawg]

That sucks

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[H20fwler]

Man that sucks!

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Ditto! I'm glad voles and rabbits aren't that big!

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[Natureboy]

Sure is frustrating to put all of that time, work and money into wildlife apple trees only to have bears destroy them. I had to give up on three orchards that were located in smaller clearings after suffering major damage to bears for several straight years. From broken limbs to entire trees taken down. I wish there were an easy solution for them.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Sorry for you loss! I couldnt deal with it.

 

[woodduck]

I wish there was a dislike button for situations like this ..... that sucks !

 

[Natty Bumppo]

That sucks. I have given up on apples for just these reasons. Even when the apples are mature they are still highly susceptible to bear damage.

 

[TreeDaddy]

makes me wanna puke

The effort/time/TLC you gave is obvious with screens,cages,stakes,weed control,(prob spray,fert as well)

bill

 

[Native Hunter]

Wow, so sorry to see this happen to you.

 

[Bill]

Sorry to see this.
Glad I don't have those big over sized black raccoons.

 

[greyphase]

Thanks for all the replys, guys. My plan is to keep planting until I have more trees than they can destroy.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I like your plan grey. And there may be a bear-rug in your future too.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Hate to see that damage, Grey. I can tell you that after seeing so MANY bears over the years at our camp, it seems the ones that do the " limb-pulling-down " thing are usually bears of about 85 to 150 lbs. And they don't necessarily eat fruit on the limbs, as you pointed out. Bears reach up to mark territory with claw marks as well as scent. Even though your trees aren't woody enough to leave claw marks on them, it's an instinct in the bears and I think they just reach up and grab. Plus their defense - especially when younger - is to climb trees. Too much weight and power for young limbs.

We planted lots more apple and crab trees than we need to keep game coming in, but like you said, we figured we'd plant enough that some of them would get to big enough size that we'd " out-run 'em ". Best of luck with the bears. " I FEEL YOUR PAIN !!! "

 

[buckvelvet]

Geez Man, all the work you put in, i just couldn't handle it, every time there was a possibility for me to get a bear tag I would, or a buddy, and we would put our best efforts to fill them. Its not war per say but when you like something so much and have it torn down through no fault of your own its a kick in the groin. Its no diff then some random buck rubbing a tree, the one you happen to miss on protection or it came off. Ouch!

 

[MRBB]

that sucks, and that bear sure went grocery shopping on your poor tree's
best advice I can say is invest in some electric fencing, solar powered one's work well

I live in a bear rich area, but I have been super lucky here, 30+ yrs and no damage minus a rare broken branch, I have mostly very mature tree's however they climb all the time, but there able to hold up to that

14 different bears here this yr so far I can tell apart, biggest being a solid 500+ lb one, several cubs and a most are in the 200-300 lb range, always hoping they can reach a bird feeder, but so far, haven't lost a feeder in many yrs since learning to hang high on a pulley system!

but when you live where bears are, there just being bears , and eating what they can find, honestly cannot blame the bear, its just doing what mother nature told it to do!
I know this doesn't help you, to hear that, but sadly
unless you take added steps to TRY and prevent it, it will happen again as more fruit is there for there taking, bears have super memories, and will come back yr after yr till food ain't there or they get killed or relocated and even when relocated, they can come back
summer of 2015, a 600 lb was relocated almost a 125 miles from , spring of 2016, he was back here again(got his tag info , this how I know this, plus knew of the trapping when he was caught)

good food, and home turf, they can come far to get back to it!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

This is a not so big bruin entering my back orchard. I had one tree on the ground but not sure he did it but I will check my cams later to see if he was around again when the tree came down

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice pic of the bear Aero. Be nice to see him in November - do you hunt them ??

I hope he doesn't see your orchard as his kitchen.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Yes I like this pic No I don't hunt them cause I think they are cool and I have a black lab that looks like a bear sometimes lol. We have a decent population in our county but not a real problem yet. Had one tear off a trail cam from a tree one year lol

 

[MRBB]

This is a big bruin entering my back orchard. I had one tree on the ground but not sure he did it but I will check my cams later to see if he was around again when the tree came downView attachment 14118

I am not trying to be a smart aZZ here , but this is NOT a very big bear, that is maybe a 300 lb bear if that based on this pic!
small head, not very tall or wide
bears are super hard to judge, for sure, but a large bruin, would be a LOT bigger in a lot of places

a nice looking bear for sure, and healthy, but just being honest with you, I have a ton of experience with bears, from trapping, tagging, moving, helping handle them, and have done so for about 30 yrs now

plus I get bears at my place almost daily, so, I have an above average bear judging skills

again, NOT knocking you at all, as most folks see bears and always think there bigger than they are LOL
its human nature I think when it comes to bears