Sandia Mountain BearWatch Newsletter January 2007

First, we want to wish all of our BearWatch members a very happy 2007!

2006 was a mixed year for our bears. We had very little winter snow and no early spring rains. Some plentiful rains did finally materialize in New Mexico’s mountains very late in the summer. This made for poor spring forage and very spotty fall acorns (bears’ main food). The late rains did provide some forbs and grasses to eat. Most of the fruit crops were plentiful which brought bears down into the neighborhoods. Lots of bears were seen by mountain residents because of the availability of fruits and water around homes.

The 2006 bear harvest/depredation came in at 355 bears or 21 bears above the pre-season target limit. This happened because forage was sparse and bears were foraging further distances which made them more vulnerable to hunters. NMG&F also had some late harvest reporting.

The good news is that out of a female limit of 171, 117 sows were taken by hunters and 6 by depredation which is 48 females lower than the 171 sow limit. This number is very important because sows are the keystones to a healthy bear population.

2006 was the third year NMG&F had their bear hunt/limit management in place. Unfortunately, several officials were lax in checking and keeping track of the bear kills in their zones which resulted in an over-harvest of 21 bears. This is a relatively new program and still has some reporting procedures to be refined. We’ve been assured that changes are being made and reporting will go more smoothly next year. The good news is that without this hunt limit in place many more bears would have been killed to the detriment of our bear population.

BW’s Jan Hayes traveled to Tucumcari in September to support NMG& Bear Biologist Rick Winslow in his recommendation to the NMG&F Commissioners to continue NMG&F’s new bear hunt/management plan. We are happy to report that the plan was voted “aye” by all seven commissioners and will continue through 2007-2008 with no significant changes.

2007’s El Niño has been good to us so far. We’ve had significant snowfall throughout our states’ mountains with hopefully more snow and rain to come. Barring late frosts, we should have abundant forbs, grasses, berries and acorns for the bears next spring, summer and fall.

 

Sow and cubs bathing in Don and Mina Carnicom’s Sandia Park Birdbath, Summer ‘06

2006 BEAR HUNT STATISTICS In the fall of 2003, NMG&F set Harvest limits for 2 years (2004-2005). The harvest limit was 171 sows and/or an overall harvest of 334 bears to be distributed in 6 mountain regions/ zones.

The good news is that this reasonable management based on sound bear biology and past hunting statistics is on track, as is, through 2008. The statistics below show that harvests are in the range that BW believes will lead to a stable and protected bear species in New Mexico.

Comparisons of Statewide hunt statistics for 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
2002 743 bears killed statewide
2003 456
2004 235
2005 290 (this included 19 depredation deaths)
2006 355 (this included 21 depredation deaths)---this was over the 334 limit

SANDIA AND MANZANO HUNT STATISTICS

The NMG&F Bear Field Study estimated approximately 125 bears in the Sandia and Manzano Mountains. Later statistics showed that our bear population was in real trouble from drought, over-harvest, trapping/relocations and depredation deaths. We estimated that our local population had plummeted by one-half in a few short years. In the fall of 2002, NMG&F Commissioners voted that the East Mountains have a one-month hunt for firearms, Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 (no sows to be taken by hunters, dogs used only.) There is a bowhunt, Aug. 28 to Sept. 19 (sows can be taken by bow hunters). However, hunters have taken no sows in the intervening years.

Sandia Hunt and Depredation
2002 Hunt: 10
2003 Depredation deaths only: 7 (4 females, 3 males)
2004 Hunt: 0
2005 Hunt 1 (male)
2006 Hunt 2 (males), 2 males depredation/ destroyed, 2 females relocated

Manzano Hunt and Depredation
2002 Hunt: 26
2003 Hunt 15 males, depredation/ destroyed: 4 females, by resident: 1 male
2004 Hunt: 5 males
2005 Hunt: 0 depredation/destroyed: 2 females
2006 Hunt: 1 male, depredationtion/ destroyed:1 male,1 male relocated, 2 road kills,1 electrocution

SANDIA AND MANZANO TRAPPING AND RELOCATION

BearWatch knew 2006 was going be a very tough year for our area bears. Our BW board met early last spring to prepare and plan for our summer duties. We decided to spend the bulk of our money for the summer on advertising to encourage our EM neighbors to be more responsible and try to do everything possible to co-exist with our bears. BW member and artist Vicky Wemple designed the weekly BW Ads that we purchased for 4 months in the East Mountain Telegraph and for 3 months in The Independent. Both papers have been extremely community and wildlife oriented and also gave us additional articles. The Telegraph also printed a wonderful full sheet color ‘Tips for Co-existing with Bears” each month for us too.

BW Board Members Dixie and Jeff Davis diligently delivered newspapers to EM stores, churches, restaurants, the garbage substation, etc. all summer long. Jan Hayes and Steve Estep delivered ‘Be Bear Aware’ newspapers to all the EM schools and students before summer break. Deb Stefan monthly emailed our ‘bear’ information to all EM Homeowner Presidents to distribute to their resident members. Many of our Wildlife Stewards emailed and dropped off ‘Tips for Living with Bear’ information to their neighbors. Some members also delivered newspapers in the far northeast heights. Jan Hayes gave several slide shows to area groups. All together, it was a busy BearWatch summer.

 

We believe all of our efforts paid off! It could have been much worse for our bears. Most EM residents really came through by doing the right things with their garbage, birdfeeders and fruit trees. The NMG&F received far fewer calls than expected considering the conditions these animals were dealing with. Several NMG&F officers told us they thought our ad campaign and other efforts made a big difference in the smaller number of calls than they anticipated.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK FOR OUR BEARS NEXT SUMMER

Please Help Us Next Summer and Fall by continuing to let your neighbors know to:

 

BearWatch was invited to participate in New Mexico Game and Fish’s first ever time to host the 9th Western Black Bear Workshop in Raton New Mexico.

All of the nine western states’ bear biologists and many wildlife conservationists were invited to present papers, participate in panel discussions and share their state’s management methods and results. The topic of the conference, ‘Human Dimensions in Black Bear Management’ fit in nicely with everything that BearWatch has worked to achieve for our states bears. In the workshop’s welcoming speeches, NMG&F Director Bruce Thompson and Secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Joanna Prukopf mentioned the positive impact that BearWatch had on bear management in New Mexico.

BW’s Jan Hayes was invited to participate on the main panel discussion of the workshop. It was an interesting experience for her and she fielded many questions from the audience on our Wildlife Steward program among our other public outreach endeavors.

It was interesting to hear the various states bear biologists talk about basically the same problem…People! It was stated over and over again that the problem wasn’t with bears but how people continue to cause bear/human problems with the resulting destruction of the animal. There was much discussion about the many techniques used to reach out to and inform people. And the legality of giving tickets, etc. There was interesting information on the latest procedures of trapping and release and several interesting studies going on using bear hair DNA snag studies (NMG&F Rick Winslow is in the process of conducting one such study in the Sandia Mountains.) versus scat studies.

New Mexico BearWatch sponsored the first nights hors d’oevres and drinks. Jan Hayes and Dixie Davis purchased and prepared the food. Raton Wildlife Steward Beverly Lang joined us to help. It was quite a spread and enjoyed by all. BW knew that New Mexico had come a long way in its management of its bears in the past ten years, but it really came home, when at the end of the workshop, each state gave an overall view of their management and hunt statistics. Compared with most of the western states that participated in this workshop, New Mexico now has one of the most progressive bear managements.

And it came about because of the work and interaction of Sandia Mountain BearWatch, the NMG&F Staff, the NMG&F Commissioners, the US Forest Service, Bernalillo County, Bear Biologist Al LeCount, State Reps. Ron Godbey and Kathy McCoy, NMG&F Director Bruce Thompson, Sec. of E.M.& N. Resources Joanna Prukopf and Governor Bill Richardson. Together, our work for the past decade has culminated in the first-ever comprehensive management of New Mexico’s bears and has given this species a much rosier future.

Jan Hayes at Bear Workshop Poster Session

 

Dixie Davis and Jan Hayes at Workshop

TIPS FROM A FRUSTRATED MOUNTAIN GARDENER

Are your expensive plantings disappearing almost as soon as you plant them? Here are a few benign tips for mountain gardeners to help save your plants from hungry gophers and rabbits.

For Larger bushes:

To discourage gophers, wrap each plant’s root system with doubled chicken wire (smallest mesh available) to keep gophers from eating the root system. Tuck the wire up on top around the base of the plants. Sprinkle castoroil laden clay particles (available on the internet) To discourage rabbits, form a round 18”-24” high tube from chicken wire and place around plants. Secure into ground to avoid damage to plant.

For Smaller plantings:

Fertilize monthly with Fish Emulsion. Gophers and rabbits hate the smell. Spray with a product called Liquid Fence after each watering.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF HARRY SIMONS

‘HEAVEN ON EARTH’

Harry Simons March 19, 1924 - February 27, 2006

Harry was a 14-year resident of Sandia Park and an enthusiastic member of BearWatch. Harry was born into a family of twelve children to a Bucks County Pennsylvania farmer and his wife. He was a jack-of-all-trades and a welder by profession. Harry enjoyed life, work, nature and his many friends and lived a full and vigorous life to the age of 82. He traveled back and forth from New Mexico to Pennsylvania to visit, lend his family a hand and share in his delight of ‘Heaven on Earth’ as he often referred to his beloved New Mexico. Harry made Sandia Park his final resting place, and will be dearly missed and remembered by many. Harry displayed the below photo, enlarging it to cover the entire freezer door of his refrigerator, reminding him of the day a mother bear and her cubs visited his porch, then went their merry way across his road. Harry felt very strongly that man and wildlife could live together without harming one another. He always said it was a matter of ‘Respect’, a lesson he would like for all of us to remember to live by.

IN MEMORY OF SCOTT BROWN

BearWatch lost a good friend when NMG&F’s Scott Brown passed away recently. From BearWatch’s inception, he worked with us on bear issues. He was always open to discussion and was one of the New Mexico Game and Fish people who helped guide us to the successful management we now have in place for New Mexico’s bears. We’ll all miss him.

BW’S ARMENDARIS RANCH FUNDRAISING TOUR

We had to cancel last summer’s tour because of rain and very muddy roads. But BW is considering another tour, perhaps sometime in June. Those BW members who signed on last year will be first on our list to be called, if the tour comes about. There is still room for more members to participate. BW will send out an announcement. If interested, you can also call Jan at 281-9282, if you want to be on the list for this unique experience.

UPCOMING BEAR FAIR

Sandia Mountain BearWatch has been invited by Wildlife West to join them this summer for another Bear Fair. The date has been set for Saturday, July 14th. Please contact Jan (281- 9282) if you would like to help organize or help BW at this fun event. There will be special ‘behind the scene’ tours to visit ‘Koshari’ the bear and many other wildlife events for the day, plus free hotdogs and lemonade. This young bear visited the Hayes lot to feast on acorns under their oak trees last summer.

2007 DUES DUE!!!

Many thanks to all of you who have continued to support BW over these many years. Bear- Watch has accomplished many of its goals so far. But there is still much more to be done for New Mexico’s bears,

Thanks to the generosity of our many members, we had the money to do what needed to be done this summer. Most of our budget went to advertising in our local papers, trying to reach out to our mountain neighbors to inform them how to co-exist with bears. We believe it was successful with fewer calls to NMG&F than we all expected. BW has the smallest budget of any wildlife organizations in the state but we’ve garnered big results for NM’s bears. We keep our dues small to encourage a large membership which is important in the political arena of wildlife conservation. No one in BW is paid for their time or expenses; we spend the money you send on printing informational material for distribution, BW books, newsletters printings, mailings, expert’s advice, advertising, etc.

2006 Finances

...... starting balance 3077.95
printing 794.88
postage 87.59
newspaper ads 1777.49
business expenses 228.28
workshop & tour 489.09
...total expenses 3377.33
...total deposits 3020.00
......ending balance 2720.62

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL

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You can help BW! Ask your friends, neighbors and relatives to join BearWatch. Or better yet, give a gift of a BW membership! The recipient and BW would appreciate it. BW will send a nice ‘bear’ gift certificate and newsletter to the new member in your name.

Annual dues are $5 per Year per Individual____________

Donations are Welcome__________________

Please send your check to:

Sandia Mountain BearWatch
PO Box 591
Tijeras, NM 87059

SandiaMountainBearWatch.org
P.O. Box 591
Tijeras NM 87059