Comments on: GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK A Fed Bear Is A Dead Bear http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/blog/a-fed-bear-is-a-dead-bear/ Enjoy the Smokies Courtesy of the Great Smoky Mountains Association! Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:02:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: juggler http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/blog/a-fed-bear-is-a-dead-bear/comment-page-1/#comment-17 juggler Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:15:04 +0000 http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/blog/?p=142#comment-17 Jack, any idea why the guy in the Gatlinburg incident wasn't charged with harassing wildlife (as a result of letting his dog charge the bear)? Jack, any idea why the guy in the Gatlinburg incident wasn’t charged with harassing wildlife (as a result of letting his dog charge the bear)?

]]> By: Jack Burgin http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/blog/a-fed-bear-is-a-dead-bear/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Jack Burgin Fri, 16 Feb 2007 19:10:06 +0000 http://www.thegreatsmokymountains.org/blog/?p=142#comment-16 As President of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, I completely agree with your comments and am pleased to say the bear cubs from the Ski Mountain Road incident are exhibiting normal behavior for bears of their age. But for the cold weather and lack of food they would have already been released back into the wild. Unfortunately, you are wrong in saying that state law forbids feeding black bears. (As a matter of fact, state hunting statutes essentially permit it except for a few weeks before bear hunting season.) Of course, NPS regulations forbid feeding (harassing etc.) any animal within the boundaries of the National Park. Too bad this couldn't be the case under state law as well. As President of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, I completely agree with your comments and am pleased to say the bear cubs from the Ski Mountain Road incident are exhibiting normal behavior for bears of their age. But for the cold weather and lack of food they would have already been released back into the wild.

Unfortunately, you are wrong in saying that state law forbids feeding black bears. (As a matter of fact, state hunting statutes essentially permit it except for a few weeks before bear hunting season.)

Of course, NPS regulations forbid feeding (harassing etc.) any animal within the boundaries of the National Park. Too bad this couldn’t be the case under state law as well.

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