Re: Bear Activity Update

Bears have been active all around Yosemite Valley this past week. Eleven vehicles were broken into by bears this week. The majority of those incidents were at Camp 4, but bears also broke into vehicles near El Capitan, Yosemite Valley trailhead parking, and Yosemite Lodge. Do not leave food, drinks, or any scented items in your vehicle after dark!

Bears have been continuously active in White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows areas over the past month. El Portal is also seeing an increase in bear activity.

Multiple bears have been observed at Glacier Point this week. These bears have obtained food from people who left food unattended.

SLOW DOWN!
Eighteen bears have been hit by cars this year! Seventeen bears were hit by cars last year, along with an unknown number of deer, squirrels and other park animals. Slow down and save Yosemite’s wildlife.


Let us know if you see a bear, no matter where it is or what it's doing. Call 209 372-0322.

yep, when i drove through White Wolf on August 20, 2009.. i saw two rangers walking together with paintball guns... i asked them if they were bear hunting and they said yes, they later explained that is was they use (paintball guns) to scare the bears away.

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forrestranger
yep, when i drove through White Wolf on August 20, 2009.. i saw two rangers walking together with paintball guns... i asked them if they were bear hunting and they said yes, they later explained that is was they use (paintball guns) to scare the bears away.

I saw a Travel Channel special on Yosemite a while ago. They had a segment on bear hazing, including a bear patrol ranger demonstrating the technique. She had a paintball gun loaded with clear paintballs which don't leave a big stain. The technique was to fire rapidly while screaming "Get out of here bear!" They said something about having the clear paintballs specially made for them, but I've looked into it. They're a commercial item used by people who practice without wanting to get paint marks all over.



http://rap4.com/paintball/os/font-colorredbnewbfont-caliber-clear-paintballs-1000-p-4429.html

I wonder who picks up the paintballs? Leave No Trace, Ranger Rick.

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AlmostThere
I wonder who picks up the paintballs? Leave No Trace, Ranger Rick.

From reading the advertisement blurb about these clear paintballs, it claims that the material washes off in warm water.
Of course this begs the question of who gives the bears a bath.

Going to guess the bears get baths before they're returned to their cages.

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