6/15/2009 11:56:00 PM Seventy-five pound bear put
down in Cornville after four days
Courtesy photo
A bear crosses through a neighborhood in Cornville.
Courtesy photo
By JON HUTCHINSON Verde Independent
CORNVILLE - It is fairly common for a mother bear to kick out a growing young male to make room for new cubs. It's when a young bear first goes out on the prowl.
So when Ken Lawlor was headed out for his morning run from his home in Verde Santa Fe Saturday morning, he was a little surprised to see a bear in his front yard. That's not what you would expect in a golf course community.
Carol Lawlor, Ken's wife, says, few fences separate houses where they live and "when the bear saw my husband, he scampered down the street between the houses and onto the forest land" to the east.
It hung around for a couple of hours and Ken was able to get some photographs before the bear was gone.
For four days, Yavapai County Sheriff's deputies and Game and Fish officers followed reports as the bear moved from one part of Cornville to another. Game and Fish officers finally put it down Monday when it became bold and more a nuisance than a curiosity.
And for good reason. Zen Mocarski, spokesman for Game and Fish, says a 75-pound bear "is still a very powerful animal. They are built to survive in the wild and are physically gifted to do so.
"Calls began coming in on Friday. The bear was exhibiting its natural fear of humans and ran away. By Sunday night, the bear was drinking from hoses in back yards, eating berries and was seen looking into a resident's window."
On Monday, the bear killed and dragged away a goat. When it was confronted, it did not leave.
"We thought it was leaving the area," Mocarski noted, "then it came back Sunday night."
The Game and Fish spokesman says biologists recognize that it is not possible to simply capture and relocate an animal that presents a public safety threat. "If an animal is a threat in one area, it will still be a threat wherever else it might be placed. It is a grim reality when there are predator-human conflicts."
Mocarski advises, "Don't feed bears, or any wild animals. Secure garbage can lids and screen off berry-bearing plants. Feeding pets outside and bird feeders can be an attractant.
"If you encounter a bear like Ken did, stay calm, don't run away and continue facing the bear. Lift children off the ground, speak loudly and bang pans or use air horns."
Mocarski says, "We can change our behavior, but bears cannot. It is discouraging when a bear is lethally removed, but these types of encounters will continue as the population grows and humans continue to push deeper into the wildlife habitat."
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I am the owner of the dwarf goat that was breakfast for the black bear on Monday morning. It was very unfortunate that both animals had to die. Please remember that the people that are directly affected are the only ones that know first hand all the details and complications that arise. The rest of my livestock and 7 year old daughter were my main concern that morning. If the bear got away, he would've been back later. All intentions were to try to save the bear but unfortunately our Sheriff's Dept does not carry tranquilizer guns. Let's not judge what law enforcement must do on a daily basis to keep us safe. Thank God there are people to make those tough decisions because most of us couldn't do it!! We've taken over a lot of wildlife's territory that's just a fact, and just like wildlife protecting theirs, we have to protect ours. They would think nothing of killing one of us to keep us out. I wish things could've ended differently but it's done and they did what they felt they had to do at the time. Hopefully Game & Fish can be more proactive in the future to prevent this. Now, let it go.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
jody
wow they just killed this innocent bear for nothing. I want to know where the hell is PETA when all this is going on. I cant believe game and fish are getting away with. we need to protest to have them all fired. ...
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
BEARHUGGER
Gee, lets kill innocent baby animals (that could be relocated) & let worthless child molesters live a nice safe life in our neighborhoods until they molest another innocent child. Is it any wonder why the world sucks?
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
TO
A bullet must have been cheaper than those tranquil meds. Blame it on the economy. Impeach Game and Fish! Why pay them for something we could have done ourselves.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Lets put the little bear to sleep.
Listen the the euphemisms, the young bear was “put down”, the bear was “lethally removed, they “put it down”. Let's call it what it is... murder, execution, shoot down, kill, obliterate, wipe out. We bulldoze and destroy their habitat, we wreck their homes and hunting area and then when they return to their traditional food gathering areas we violently murder them with guns. The least we can do is trap these bears, haul them to a remote area, FAR AWAY from homes and towns and release them... it is the least we can do to amend for what we did to their habitat. The Game and Fish didn’t want to bother to do this, instead they just murder the animal. I personally feel that there is something morally wrong with this human behavior.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Marianne
We humans are an over-populated, greedy bunch. We've already destroyed much of what nature gives us. We don't like something, we kill it. I believe that Mother Nature will one day take her wise hand and slap the likes of us off the planet. It's sad.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
whos in charge
Funny isn't it? When a developer wants 200 Pronghorn Antleope moved the Game and Fish Dept. jump all over it, and the death of 1 or 2 of them was "unfortunate". This was one 75-lb bear that was acting like bears do and they kill it. Wow, talk about a Three Stooges outfit!
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
tired
WOW! What a waste! They could have tranquilized the bear just as easy! Is the Fish and Game dept that inept that they had no better ideas? Maybe they should go back to school and learn that wild animals are unpredictable and will act, well wild. And the last time I checked bears were carnivores, so the bear taking a goat shouldn't have come as a surprise.
why not tranqualize it and return it to the wild where it came from. yes it was in the city and could come back, but that's why you make sure to drop it off somewhere far enough away. It's sad to see all these bears dying. just like the one in Kingman earlier this year that "had" to be put down.
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
yes we have the heritaige park zoo in prescott why not take it there - duh nope trigger happy ppl grrrr
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Christopher
Nothing like a bit of Scotland in Arizona to create the artificial environment of golf turf. It's like wall papering the Sistine Chapel or going to the shopping mall to buy class, or being caught up in bias and trappings of wealth that you would choose a development so out of harmony with nature. We really can't afford such vanities, marketing appeals and the cheap aroma of 'high end' development. Bear got shot for not paying the green fees or Association dues, near as I can figure, since the 'threat' reason does not hold water.
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Fred from Flagstaff
Sorry Bad Decision and Deanna, but I live in Verde Santa Fe and I don't want my family endangered. It's a reality that humans are making babies faster than people are dying so populations are increasing. Where are we supposed to go? That bobcat that attacked people in Cottonwood last month. Did you hear about that? It had rabies. Should we do nothing about that. If this bear killed a goat and was dragging it off. That could be one of the little kids in my family. Then what? I'm sorry it had to be put down but let's get a reality check here. Thank you Game and Fish for not waiting until it killed somebody.
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
ED
It sure would have been great to have seen this bear relocated. I wonder if the AZ G.F.D. has had government cutbacks... Anyway hoping everyone here feels the same about Humans.. (ABORTIONS) Fact a 18-week preme. child can be saved NOW THATS A CRIME
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Thank you, Rob Simon
I'm glad someone has taken the initiative to get national attention to this story. Doesn't seem right that Game & Fish had no other choice but to kill the bear.
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I can hear it now bearhuggers: Mr. Lawlor - So what did you do with that bear cub that was looking through my kitchen window after he ate my blackberry bush? F&G Dude - We relocated him. Mr. Lawlor - Where to?
F&G Dude - We can't disclose that information, but to a place kinda far away.
Mr. Lawlor - So he can't come back and eat my other blackberry bush, right? F&G Dude - Probably not but you never know with bears and blackberries. Just keep a lookout and call me if you hear or see anything. Mr. Lawlor - My kids play on that golf course in the evening after it clears out. You think that is still OK? F&G Dude - Well I can't really advise you about things like that. I'd keep my eye out though. Seeya.
