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tacked any human in the state, however, they should be treated with respect. These bears are very curious,” said Mr. Bankston. “They sometimes will stand up on their hind legs, but that is rare. When they do, he continued, they are testing the wind, investigating.”
The biggest problem with the black bear, besides giving humans an adrenaline rush, is the damage they do to cornfields and orchards, which can sometimes be extensive. Trees can be broken and clawed, often causing the demise of the tree.
Once a bear is trapped, which is done with a cage and meat or ham bait, it is tagged, tattoed and transported to areas where they won’t be doing damage. Mr. Blank also takes a tooth from which to determine the exact age of the animal
Mr. Blank said he takes them to George Washington National Forest on the Alleghany side or the Jefferson National Forest.
Even though the bears have been tranquilized, they are not released until they are totally back to normal, said Mr. Blank.
“You can’t run the risk of letting them lie down in a field somewhere half asleep,” he said. “Crows could pick their eyes out or something,” he added.
“We don’t trap a bear unless it is causing a problem,” said Mr. Bankston.
“There have been a number of complaints this year,” he added. “We are doing everything possible to keep up with the problem.”
Shenandoah National Park has the largest population of black bears in the eastern part of the country, explained Mr. Blank, who said the biggest bear he ever caught weighed in around 475 pounds.
Black bears, no matter what the bear liter tells you (“I saw a bear and it was seven feet tall”) are only about three feet tall at shoulder height.
“The purpose of all this is rather than destroy a resource, we try to conserve and protect it,” said Mr. Blank. “We are fortunate to have Shenandoah National Park because hunting is not allowed in the park, there is a nudeous of protected, cubproducing females. ”
“I rarely have trouble moving these bears,” said Mr. Blank. “Even the mothers and the cubs, however, I have a healthy respect for them, after all they are wild animals and when they grow up they can take your head off with one swipe.”
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