It seems there’s a big black bear hanging around cabins in the Macks Inn area of Island Park lately. The bear has lost his natural fear of humans and is starting to make a nuisance of himself.
In the last few days (a week or two) the bear has been seen on several decks in the area, making it obvious that someone has been feeding him. I have heard people talking, saying, “I like it when the bears come around. I even like it when they’re up on my deck, because I can sit safely inside and snap a few photos. What does it hurt if I leave a little something to encourage the bear to come to my place so I can do that?”
The answer is simple. If the bear starts to become a nuisance, he may be relocated at a great cost to the taxpayers. If he becomes aggressive after not finding food, he’ll most likely be put down (that’s euthanized — killed — for those not from around here.) Bears that are “human habituated” and not deemed able to be rehabilitated are always put down.
So the long and short is, feeding bears may well take their lives. These are not cuddly lap animals. They are big, very strong, and can be unstoppable once they’re spun up. Be wise about leaving food out. Keeping your deck and other areas around your cabin or campsites clean may well save the life of an unwitting bear. That’s conservation at its most basic if you ask me.
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