I was at a mine site a few months ago and a small bear showed up and was rummaging in a dumpster for food. There was a superintendent of the coal company standing there as I took out a sausage and egg biscuit for the bear. Shocked, the super said, “don’t feed him, we will never get rid of him!” I unwrapped the biscuit explaining a few basic facts to the official. The first being the bear was here first, the second was if the coal company hadn’t taken over this hollow with all its sludge ponds and just basically nasty crap the bear wouldn’t be here looking for food to begin with. I finished by tossing the biscuit to the bear. He didn’t hang around as the super feared. After all it wasn’t a social visit. I don’t know who I felt sorry for the most the hungry bear or the ignorant super.
Cause and Effect…
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Adding to this post… the dumpster the bear was rummaging through is where the company employees discarded their lunches. I wasn’t a company employee. I was there in a consulting capacity.
Adding to this post AGAIN… I concede that feeding bears is not a good thing. I fed this one because the super told me not to when he was already providing all the animals a buffet right there in the dumpster. I was wrong in doing that. What I should have done instead was report the coal company to DNR before the bear lost it’s life over the dumpster.
That being said… Don’t Feed The Bears!!!
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July 5th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
owh..hungry bear is very dangerous..
July 5th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
This bear wasn’t much bigger than a large dog…
btw– if you ever see me and a bear fighting, don’t help me, help the bear.
July 6th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Sigh. It’s well-meaning people like you who add to the bear’s problem. Eventually, he WILL come around again, and again, and again, and then some moron will have him “removed” as a threat.
They’re WILD animals. Don’t feed them. Even if the evil coal company did take his home. You’re just signing a certain death warrant.
July 6th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Although you signed anonymous… I will give you credit for being right. But I just couldn’t help it… and he would probably come back regardless of my biscuit giving. I know this, he didn’t die that day.
Thanx for commenting “anonymous”
July 6th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
btw– “anonymous”, the bear was already a regular visitor to the said dumpster. This is where workers discarded their lunches.
hence—”ignorant super”
July 6th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Is my face red…worse than dyslexic, I am unable to read the word DUMPSTER.
My apologies. The paragraph takes on a whole new meaning when you READ ALL THE WORDS!!! DUH
July 6th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
No apology needed… everyone entitled to their own opinion. Just felt the need to clarify.
Thanx for commenting
July 7th, 2007 at 5:17 am
I’d be too afraid the bear would look at me and see a giant sausage biscuit.
The main thing that I’d be afraid of is if the bear learns there’s people food around it might come back and become a ‘nuisance’ at which point poor bear may have to go to bear heaven at the hands of DOW or something. 
But you’re right on. People are doing a great job of interfering with wildlife via mines and development rather than trying to coexist somehow or at least to stop encroaching. But I ramble… 
July 7th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Thanx fo commenting Michael…
This bear and a couple of others were already a “nuisance” because of the ripe pickings in the dumpster. It is too bad there is not an organization to “remove” nuisance coal operators from the bears neighborhood…
And I know all about rambling…
Have a great day!