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Molasses and Grain for Bears

This is not benevolent, like having a bird feeder. Hunting bears is legal in Maine and all aspects are closely regulated by state authorities. During part of the limited hunting season, it is legal to put out "bait" to entice bears into firing range. Often the bait is old pastries and grease, rather than commercially purchased products. Despite using hunting to control population levels, the Black Bear numbers in Maine are growing about 3% annually to about 35,000 currently.

Guptill's is not a gentile suburban supplier. Really an offshoot of a logging business; big, heavy, tough-guy equipment (and dirty boots and calloused hands). Huge logging trucks with huge loads of logs parked close by.

If you have access to a series of television programs called "North Woods Law", it is accurate and informative. Early seasons about Maine; recent seasons about New Hampshire.
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2 comments

Andy Rodker said:

Bill Bryson has written enough about all kinds of bear stateside not to leave too much to the imagination!
I first assumed a misspelling as in 'Grain for Beer!!!
3 years ago

L. L. Wall replied to Andy Rodker:

... Minnesota biologist Lynn Rogers is probably the counterpoint to being afraid (not being afraid) of Black Bears, to the extreme apparently ... at ----> bear.org/how-dangerous-are-black-bears ...
Once in Maine, my brother and I ended up (not lost) but hiking on an unplanned backwoods trail through 2nd growth forest interspersed with blueberry and raspberry clearings. And in this prime bear habitat, we just made noise and talked loud, and if there were any around, they made themselves scarce; which was the point. (After which, my not-much-of-an-outdoorsman brother said: "Well, we're not doing that again!")
3 years ago