Lyn Rodgers "Bear Bioigist" Sue Mansfield Field Editor

[NSOUTFITTER]

Has anyone ever heard of these amazing people
Lynn Rodgers (Bear Walker of the North Woods & Bear Biologist ) & Sue Mansfield (Biologist & Field Editor ) ?

I just recently watched the best bear article document I have ever seen on the TV to date . It was on the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom . It consisted of Lynn & Sue documenting the lives of 15 collered bears in the Superior National Forest located in Northern Minnisota. With over 40 years of experience with wild bears he spent over half of his like struggling to overcome the fear of bears but now says " I am more safe in the woods with the wild bears than I am in human civilization " how true is that LOL,LOL

For a one hour documentary, it would have been one of the most eduactional documents for people wanting to learn about bears and how they behave and interact with humans . This film was not about tamed bears inside a fence or any park this was the wild as it gets .

For me learning facts about these magnificant animals is one thing but to actually see it in real life form is another . We as hunters and lovers of nature can learn so much stuff but never lay eyes on 80% of it unless you are introduced to it either by watching it on tv or experiencing it yourself . Lynn has been doing exactly what I done this spring , getting right in the den with many a sow and her cub for many years . This bear which he had named "June " has been a study bear for over 8 years now and has gained great trust with her and has spent numerous hours studing her actions and life throughout the big Nothern Woods of Minnisota.

Lynn has named all 15 bears with their own distinct names such as ,Wally , June , Julliet , Mable , the three amingo's ( 3 boars that all chummed together ) Jane , Gary and many more .

Lynn talked about how emotional bears are and how they can get towards their cubs and how disheartening it is for the breakup for their families when it is time for the yearlins to move on with a life of their own . It was very interesting to actually see this all unfold on TV . He also talked about mating to an extent of how they disburse their scents. One of the ways is a female (Sow) bear will have a tendancy to slide their feet more often while walking down a trail making it more obvious to the boar that she is now ready to mate . She will also what they call "Cowboy Walking" which means spread her legs alot wider while walking & urinating at the same time ,walking over top of every little branch ,bush or tree to help leave scent behind for her mate . Also how they will stand up and rub trees and bite and chew on hem to also leave scent behind . He touched a bit on how the make their tongue's click when they are being approached by another bear or in fear fo their young . He mentioned that "Tongue Clicking" and "Jaw Chomping" get misinterpreted most times .

What a terrific guy this was to share his findings and studies with everyone . He had one bear "Julliet" that had a sick cud that seperated itself from the mother and the other cubs as it was sick . It actually showed the sow finding that cub under a root of a tree and trying to get the cub moving again but later the next day the bear had died from a "Deer Parisite ". It was the first time it has ever been recorded that a bear had died from a this type of parisite . It also showed how bears in a family will grooom each other just as the primate family does .

Hunting is big Part of the heritage in Minnisota's North Woods .
Lynn works very close with the hunters of the area to try and keep his study bears from getting shot each bear hunting season but a few have gone missing each year due to lack of knowledge. There is over 7000 bears harvested each year in Minnisota die to hunting practices . Lynn and his group put sign out showing that their are collered bear in the area and the bears that are collered are worth more alive for studdies than they are dead and will give more to people as far as studies if they are left alone and let walk .
Hunters in Minnisota are permitted to carry handguns while baiting in the North Woods . always wondered why that would not be legal here in Nova Scotia or New Brunswck , What would it hurt ?

There has only been 3 fatalities with black bears in America with in the last 100 years , So why are so many people timid of them ? Could it be the size , color , horror stories ,tales ? I know for me I have grown to respect them more than some and have spent countless hours admiring and interacting with them ,,,not like he has with food and such but ,talking to them ,stalking them, reading their body language to see the reactions & behaviors as well . They truely are the king of the forest and should be taken seriously while in their home . Each &Every adventure bear hunting and scouting is a new one and can only educate myself and others on how these great animals survive in the big woods .

Last but not least it talked about how bears will get ready for hibernation . Their heart rate will go as low as 8 beats per minute while in full hibernation and when they are awake up to as high as 95 beats per minute . When getting into hibernation mode a bear will go through a transition by slowing it's heart rate down to get ready for the long cold winter it is about to endure .

For an eduacational tour of the North American Bear Centre visit this link ..........
http://www.bear.org/website/

[dan]

He has a camp where you can pay him to teach you about bears and the money is considered a donation to his bear research. During the camp he guarantees you will get to touch and interact with live wild bears... I saw a show about it and he went over and picked up a baby bear while the mother was close by and said in 20 years ( i think )he has never had any kind of problem.

[lungbuster]

Is this a different guy than the one who lived in Alaska and had both black and grizzlies around his house? That dude was nuts!

[NSOUTFITTER]

It sure was a great documentary to say the least !! I wish my kids had of been home to see it , but htey will not have to worry I will be purchasing it for them to watch and many others to watch at the same time . Great education for kids I think .

I will have you show me how to do that this fall Chris ,,,, the bear whisperer LOL,LOL