Black Bear in Indiana?

[PistolBob]

I have a hard time envisioning how they'd cross the Ohio River into Southern Indiana. Seems it'd be a pretty newsworthy event were one spotted crossing a bridge. The Ohio's a big, wide river.

Realm of possibility? Maybe. Probable? No.

Nate, bison and other animals used to walk across the Ohio River just west of Jeffersonville Indiana, routinely a couple of times a year. The great salt licks in northern Kentucky drew animals from the Great Plains.

Go down to the "Falls of the Ohio" state park and check out the fossil beds and the river down there. Men dug deep channels through the limestone there to allow shipping traffic to pass through.

Indiana Buffalo Trace

 

[HICKMAN]

I know it's cliche, but my uncle claims he saw one 30 years ago near Silverville.

He was a trapper/coon hunter so I figured if anyone would have seen one, it would be him.

 

[JBob77]

Can bears swim well? I know there are several places in the Ohio River where I could swim across, so I would assume any animal that is a proficient swimmer may have made it across as well.

 

[hooky]

Bears in WI, MI and OH wouldn't have much of a swim to get here.

 

[kevman65]

That's funny, a DNR rep warned of bears being in the park in Brown County.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Bears can and do swim. I have seen them way out in the middle of lakes in northern Canada swimming from one side to the other. I have no idea if there are bears in Indiana, but I wouldn't doubt it in the least if one wanders in now and then.

Dirty Steve

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

"Kilt him a bar, when he was..." wait, that wasn't Abe Lincoln, was it?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Can bears swim well? I know there are several places in the Ohio River where I could swim across, so I would assume any animal that is a proficient swimmer may have made it across as well.

Bear swim very well.

Fishing in the boundary waters as a kid. Camping on island, got up early to heed Nature's call as I was so engaged facing the water, saw black bear swimming past me, maybe 30 yards away. Learned that yes, bears do in fact swim, rather well actually and I learned I had more speed that I knew.

 

[nate1865]

Nate, bison and other animals used to walk across the Ohio River just west of Jeffersonville Indiana, routinely a couple of times a year. The great salt licks in northern Kentucky drew animals from the Great Plains.

Go down to the "Falls of the Ohio" state park and check out the fossil beds and the river down there. Men dug deep channels through the limestone there to allow shipping traffic to pass through.

Indiana Buffalo Trace

Oh I've seen that area several times.

I had no idea it was ever that shallow. Question is whether it still is or not.

I didn't realize bear swam well. Still, I'm thinking it is less probable that a bear swims the Ohio than comes down from up north.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Why? There are bears in Tennessee like Lafayette has squirrels.

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

That's funny, a DNR rep warned of bears being in the park in Brown County.

Maybe the DNR rep was talking about the two legged kind of "bears":

...on the hunt in the park, not the 4 legged kind,

...because I'd be running a whole hell of a lot faster if I was being chased by the first kind than I would the second kind...

 

[Sasquatchhunter]

Please read "The Bears of Blue River" as mentioned. My family is from down around where the book was written about, we still live here today. The guy who wrote it was a family friend way back when. It is a true story, and an excellent cut out of early 1900s and late 1800s Indiana life. Im sure most of you would really enjoy reading it. PLUS...its not too long!

 

[TSmith]

Please read "The Bears of Blue River" as mentioned. My family is from down around where the book was written about, we still live here today. The guy who wrote it was a family friend way back when. It is a true story, and an excellent cut out of early 1900s and late 1800s Indiana life. Im sure most of you would really enjoy reading it. PLUS...its not too long!

I thought of this book when I first saw this post. One of my favorite books, read it a few times as a kid. A very good book!!

 

[straittactical]

my black bear should be coming in the mail any time now. its on its way from montana. in the form of a rug. DOES THAT COUNT ???

 

[marshallartist]

Here is a post I saw on indianasportsman.com regarding this topic. Looks like this guy might have a photo of a black bear's hind quarters from his deer cam.

 

[cschwanz]

Ive heard the MI black bear population is growing and they think they are drifting south as the territory fills up there. maybe the northern counties of IN could see some in the coming years? I deer hunt in Stueben I think I'd like to see a bear while hunting, but I dont know how I'd react if i did, haha.