In the past two years, I've had two treestands vandalised by black bears. Both have been built out of treated lumber or kreosote (?sp) poles. They've gnawed the poles or boards in two.

Any ideas on what's causing this? Human scent, lumber, etc?

I'll try and get some pics tomorrow for y'all.

Have a happy new year!

--QD

[ 01-02-2003, 04:40: Message edited by: quickdraw ]

For the treated lumber they might be going after the minerals but the creosote ? probably weird taste. In any case both are toxic to people and I assume are also toxic to bears .Treated lumber contains copper arsenate as I remember.

That treated lumber has salt in it.
I've built w/ the stuff when it's fresh from the lumber yard, driven a nail in and the water squirts out and hits you in the mouth. Taste's like salt to me.

Hello Steiny;
I wouldn't savor the flavor of that lumber too much, or you could end up like Napoleon, who they claim may have died of arsenic poisoning. I built a plant where they make this stuff and can tell you the precautions they take in dealing with it would make a UN weapons inspector think Weapons of Mass destruction. In fact, I believe that by the end of this year, it will have to be phased out. The stuff we deal with here is Kiln dried and I have never seen any sqirt out. As for the bears, it probably tastes salty to them. I have heard numerous stories where bears have torn up and eaten the seats of ATVs or heavy machienery left in the bush.
Griz

And no I haven't been using essence of jelly donut. The Wildlife Commission doesn't think too highly of that here.

Lumber is usually dried, but if it is kept outdoors it gets wet�
Where are you located?
Do they allow bear hunting?
Can I terminate your problem?

I have seen them allmost chew down telephone poles that were treated. For some reason they like chewing on treated wood the neigbor had several stands that the 4x4s had to be replaced after the bears had chewed on them..

Bears will be attracted by any aromatic foods, or odors such as the ones from kerosene, creosote, gasoline, WD-40, and other petroleum distillates. This is specially true of bears that dig in trash cans, and sanitary land fields.

If the bear can't find any more bear bait, it will follow the scent of anything that may smell like food. Remember that the bear has already associated any human smell you have introduced to the area with food. Now it comes back to look for food, and all it can find is the smell from the lumber. Other human smells that attract bears are urine, and even excrement. Predacious bears may be attracted by these two types of odors.

More about bears and campsite safety: It is a bad idea to setup your campsite on a place where other campsites existed the previous seasons, specially if trash and food remains were left behind. Bears usually visit these areas once the campsites has been abandoned, and dig the old ashes from the "cooking fire" looking for food remains. If they find any food whatsoever, the smell of food as well as gasoline, and any other human scent is associated with food. If for example the bear smells "gasoline" the next season, that triggers the sense of "food" in its brain.

After all of this you will probably ask, "a stinky place will attract bears?" The answer is "yes."

[ 01-01-2003, 03:00: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

Its amazing how destructive those bears can be. I had a bait station set up on the Kenai pensuila last spring and they tore the hell out of everything. The seats out of the lock on stands were shredded. We did spray the whole area with a garden sprayer full of maple syrup extract though! Its impressive to watch a brown bear pounce on top of a 55 gal drum and squish it like a pop can. We finally had to use plastic one. Anyway, just thought I would share my experenice with bears and treestands.

Finley: I imagine you have seen bear kill areas at close range. Now... one of those big mounts they create to bury a moose carcass can be scary if one stumbles upon one.

The last one I saw was two years ago while hunting moose. The grizzly had killed and buried a "snared" caw near the trail, and it seems that a black bear had later come in for dinner. This bear got killed and buried by the grizzly instead. All that was left from the blackie was its skull, and a paw that was still in pretty good shape. The cow's leg bone was still attached to the wire and the tree. The grizzly had scraped a large circle of dirt, leaves, and even tree roots to cover the moose, and the pile was about 4' high. I didn't stay there very long, but I had to move to another hunting spot for the next two years because of the smell.

[ 01-01-2003, 03:16: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

OK here are the pictures I promised. This

On this first stand you can see how one of the 2x4's has been gnawed up.



These next three show bigger stand. Note how both of the front creosote poles have been gnawed through. The one of the right is completely gone!







Here is a roadkill bear I found today. Wish I'd have seen one during bear season!


[ 01-02-2003, 04:00: Message edited by: quickdraw ]

OK, they chew the wood for the salt. You can stop it by spraying it with a hot pepper solution.

Here we have had problems with them chewing up foam seats in hanging stands left out and 4wheeler seats. Reason explained to me is the foam used in many seats is made with whale oil and the bears relish it.

thanks ncbowman. i figured something like that. it would probably be intelligent not to put a stand in heavy bear territory if i didn't want to take the risk they might destroy it, though.

i'm gonna see about catching up with one of these bruins next year!