Black Bear Abundance
There have been a number of bear sightings lately. The camp across the river has had a large bear prowling around their lodge and we’ve had a small one poking around our neighborhood. Guests spotted a black bear in James Bay on Saganaga Lake and another one swimming between islands on Seagull Lake. While these bears haven’t become too big of a nuisance they could if we’re not careful.
This statement was issued by the USFS.
There have been several reports of nuisance bears this summer, including one that destroyed an unattended campsite during the day. Please emphasize the importance of keeping a clean camp to all BWCAW visitors. Remind them to be diligent with food storage by hanging food or storing it in a bear resistant canister such as the one seen at http://bearvault.com.
Fish remains should be disposed of far away from campsites, shorelines, and trails. Wash dishes well away from the shoreline. Unwanted live bait, food scraps and leftovers should be
packed out and placed in a trash or compost bin.
Bears that acquire campers’ food become habituated to the easy rewards. Significant bear activity has already been addressed on Knife Lake this summer. These bears can easily become nuisance and possibly aggressive bears. Aggressive bears may be killed if they threaten people. Thanks for your assistance in stressing these points to all visitors.