Our hope for 2008 is that it will be an even better year for New Mexico’s black bears than 2007. Last year’s mountain’s snows and rains were in the average to good range. Although this winter was predicted to be dry, so far New Mexico has had some very good snowfall in its mountains that should produce good forage for our bears this coming summer and fall.

NMG&F Bear Biologist Rick Winslow reports that there was a larger than usual number of bear hunters last fall which resulted in a large number of bears being harvested. Also, approximately 6 bear hunters were prosecuted for hunting bears in zones that were closed to hunting after the limits were reached.

Winslow reports that most of New Mexico’s bear population seem healthy. However, Jemez’s bears seem to be in trouble. Tooth studies show that the Jemez bears being taken by hunters are young which points to a population in crisis. Winslow plans to ask the NMG&F Commission for permission to lower the number of bears that can be harvested by hunters in the Jemez at this years Big Game reporting.

The statewide 2007 Bear harvest /depredation came in at 361 bears killed. That’s 25 over the 336 bears allowed. The 2007 Sow harvest/depredation was 118 sows killed which was 53 below the limit of 171. In the 2006 harvest/ depredation, 123 sows were killed which was 48 below the limit. This is an important number to watch, because sows populations in each mountain range is one of the keystones to future healthy bear populations.

NMG&F is now into the 4th year of their new bear hunt/limit management and continues to have some regional officers failing to report the kills in a timely way, which is why they continue to exceed the limits.

BW has been assured that improvements are taking place. We certainly hope so. 2006-2007 had over-harvests of 45 bears or 6.7% over NMG&F’s bear harvest limits.

On a more positive note, we believe without this management in place that many more bears would continue to been taken by hunters and could result in over-harvests that could bring about a degradation of New Mexico’s bear population which unfortunately, has happened to New Mexico’s deer population.

 

A visitor to Glenda Muirhead’s East Mountain birdbath. July '07

2007 BEAR HUNT STATISTICS

In the fall of 2003, NMG&F set Bear Harvest limits for 2 years (2004-2005). The harvest limit was 171 sows and/or an overall harvest of 336 bears to be distributed in 6 mountain regions/zones.

This management was based on sound bear biology and past hunting statistics and has continued through 2008.

Comparisons of Statewide hunt statistics for 2002 – 2007

Bears killed

SANDIA AND MANZANO HUNT AND DEPREDATION STATISTICS

Although the conditions last year were pretty good, we were surprised that we had fairly high depredation numbers (bears destroyed or moved to other mountain ranges) in the East Mountains. BW does not believe this came about because we have an over-population of bears. We lost approximately one-half of our estimated population of 125 bears in 2000-2001. This is a people problem. We continue to have mountain residents feeding bears with their non-bear-proofed garbage and available birdfeeders. Some residents continue to demand that NMG&F officers remove or destroy the ‘problem bears’ that these same residents or their neighbors continue to create. Its our job to get the information out to our neighbors that problem bears are created by becoming habituated to available human foods, then teach their cubs where the easy food is, thus creating a neverending cycle of habituation and destruction of our East Mountain bear population. Things were so bad for our Sandia and Manzano bears that in the fall of 2002, NMG&F Commissioners voted for a reduced hunt in the East Mountains to be a one-month hunt for firearms, Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 (no sows to be taken by hunters, dogs used only). There is a bow-hunt Aug. 28 to Sept. 19 (sows can be taken by bow hunters).

Sandia Hunt and Depredation – Unit 8
2002 Hunt: 10
2003 Depredation deaths only: 7 (4 females, 3 males)
2004 Hunt: 0
2005 Hunt: 1 (male)
2006 Hunt: 2 (males) depredation/destroyed: 2 males…2 females relocated
2007 Hunt: 1 (female) 1 (male)… depredation/destroyed: 1 male, 1 female…2 males relocated, 2 females relocated.

Manzano Hunt and Depredation – Unit 14
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)…depredation/destroyed: 1 male…1 male relocated, 2 road kills, 1 electrocution
2007 Hunt: 3 (females)…depredation/destroy ed: 2 males… 1 female relocated (1 harvested in GMU38) 3 males relocated.

BEARWATCH’S STATEWIDE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

New Mexico BearWatch was fortunate to receive two matching grants that allowed us to start our three-year statewide ‘How to Co-exist with Bears’ newspaper ad campaign. We first contacted all NMG&F field officers in bear country for information on specific bear-human problems in their areas. We had good response from these officers and from there our talented wildlife artist, Vicki Wemple, designed eye-catching ads for 16 mountain community newspapers. We ran rotating ads weekly for the months of June, July and August. Some newspapers gave us matching free ads and reduced rates since this would be beneficial for their communities. Jan Hayes also wrote articles on camping in bear country and living in bear country that she submitted for the guest editorial page of each newspaper. We plan to continue this campaign for two more years. So far, the response has been good with people calling from all over the state with ‘bear’ questions. Below are some BW ad examples (shown ~half size).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEARWATCH’S BEAR PROOFING PLANS FOR 2008

BearWatch is still pursuing bear proofing for New Mexico. It’s been difficult. Many New Mexico towns in bear country have different ways of collecting their garbage. Some towns do their own garbage collection or use small private garbage companies and some use Waste Management. Unfortunately, Waste Management has not instituted bear-proofing options in the East Mountains or other areas of the state.

STATE MONEY FOR BEAR PROOFING

Animal Protection of New Mexico contacted BearWatch last year and offered to help us request 2008 legislative money to help partially bearproof Red River, Angel Fire and Ruidoso. We chose these towns because they do their own garbage pickup and we wouldn’t have the complication of mixing private and public funds. We won’t know for a while if this money request will be successful. If it does go through, it would help make a big difference in helping stop bearhuman conflicts for these communities.

FEDERAL MONEY FOR BEARPROOFING

BearWatch is working with the NMG&F to find towns and summer camps that would like to participate in a matching federal grant of $70,000 to purchase bear-proof dumpsters.

NEW MEXICO STATE PARKS NEED BEARPROOFING

BW has recently started working with State Park Director David Simon in regard to bear-proofing all ‘bear country’ state parks. At the request of several NMG&F Managers who oversee these state parks, BW has decided to try to take on this much-needed project.

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Photos from Don & Mina Carnicom (2007) Mountain View Telegraph July 2007

 

Jan Hayes receives award from WAFWA

BOBCATS

Far NE Heights Albuquerque BW members, Doris and Tom Parry sent these pictures and the ensuing events of a visiting Bobcat mother and her two kittens.

Doris says: “It was early morning and I was sewing at a table by the window of the guest bedroom when, out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw movement in the Golden Rain tree right outside the window. I watched what seemed like a blob move around and finally materialize on a branch as a bobcat kitten. In about a minute a second kitten appeared. Both seemed to be "confined" to the tree. After about 10 minutes, the mother bobcat appeared almost out of nowhere. She jumped onto the wall under the tree and turned around and looked me right in the face and then went on to "reprimand" the kittens. Then she jumped down into the front yard and began to paw what looked like the remains of a kitten. We're not sure of what drama had occurred or when, but it was obvious that the mother bobcat was distressed. Our guess is that a coyote got the kitten and got scared away before it could finish. We live on a huge arroyo where we see and hear coyotes all the time. The mother bobcat kept pawing the remains like she was trying to "get it moving." After a few minutes on the front lawn, the mother and two baby bobcats just sauntered away. Later that morning, a neighbor spotted them out on their deck, sunning themselves like they owned the place. I’m pleased to see that the bobcats are "adapting" very well to us humans.”

 

 

 

BearWatch is always happy to receive your pictures and stories of visiting wildlife. Please send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

PLEASE HELP BEARWATCH BY PAYING YOUR 2008 DUES!!!

Last summer 12 Sandia and Manzano Mountain bears were destroyed or trapped and relocated to other mountain ranges for rummaging in un-protected home garbage cans, business dumpsters and birdfeeders. BearWatch continues the work to reach out to inform our neighbors how to co-exist with bears. But, we can’t do the work that needs to be done without your help.

BW has the smallest budget of any wildlife organization in the state. 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, newsletter printings, mailings, expert’s advice, advertising, etc.

Many thanks to all of you who continue to support BW over the past years!

2007 Finances
......Starting 2007 balance 2720.62
Printing 720.11
Postage 218.35
Newspaper Ads 360.43
Business expenses 13.00
...Total expenses 1311.89
...Total Deposits 2054.30
......Ending 2007 Balance 3463.03

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL
NAME _________________________________
ADDRESS _________________________________
TELEPHONE _________________________________
EMAIL (Please) _________________________________
VOLUNTEER _________________________________

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

BW WILL PARTICPATE IN JULY ‘BEAR FAIR’

BearWatch will again participate in a ‘Bear Fair’ fun day at Wildlife West on Saturday, July 12th, 10am to 4pm. We are looking for BW helpers for that day. If you can help, please call Jan at 281- 9282. There will be special ‘behind the scene’ tours to visit ‘Koshari’ the bear and many other wildlife events for the day. Hope to see all of you there!