Since this is a bit different than the ratio thread I thought I would start a new one.
Since the Big Thicket is my primary field destination I thought I would post some data.

The thicket used to be a rich black bear habitat. Teddy Roosevelt even hunted bear in this area.

A study by the parks and wildlife gave the area a .82 out of 1 for black bear suitability. I don’t have to mention that black bear habitat usually overlaps our favorite cryptid’s habitat.

Here is the link to the study
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hunt/research/...1997/b-bear.htm

This is an example of prime black bear habitat in Southeast Alaska.

Extremely dense, forested terrain with salmon availability throughout the summer and berries in the late summer and fall.

Great photo Huntster!

It has often been postulted that BF eat salmon - esp. in the more northern areas.
If I remember correctly - Clayton Mack said that he never saw any evidence of BF fishing along the rivers or eating salmon in his neck of the woods. (He did mention that they dug for clams on the saltwater beaches)
I would think that of all people - a world renowned bear guide who spent his life along those rivers would have seen such evidence.
This is something that always bothers me when I hear people talking about BF and salmon runs.

Now that you mention it, there does seem to be more testimony of folks seeing them foraging on beaches than on salmon streams...........

That looks like a squatchy place!

Now Rockinit mentioned it, i can't actually recall reading any Reports with a direct link to Sas/Salmon & boy have i read a few...

Althought it does seem so natural for them to take advantage of the Salmon Run ..

After posting the photo of the black bear congregation, I thought I'd post this one of a brown bear gathering on a whale carcass on a beach on Kodiak Island.

There are as many bears in the brush outside of the photo as there are bears in the photo. The ones in the photo are almost all boars, and the ones in the brush are mostly sows/cubs and smaller boars.

Hi

Great pic

Peace
Tim

I wonder if BF are like dogs? Once a salmon starts up river they contract liver flukes. If dogs ( the only animal that I know for sure are affected by this) ingests blood of a salmon they will get sicker then a dog and if not treated with anti-biotic they will die for sure. It doesn't seem to bother the bears. I wonder how many animals it would effect like the dog.

Ted

Truly awesome, Huntster.

I've never heard anything about liver flukes in salmon after they hit fresh water. Frankly, I doubt it.

Salmon begin to die after entering fresh water. Why would liver flukes begin to flourish in a dying host?

I am not sure huntser, this is the way it was explained to me by Veterinarian, had dogs end up with this condition three times. Once near happy camp on the klamath, and twice in Redding,CA on battle creek that flows into the Sacramento. Maybe just a CA. thing but thats what the Vet told me. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that what ever it is, it will kill a dog deader then hell.

Ted

Ok guy here is the low down off the salmon poisoning disease web site.

Salmon Poisoning Disease


This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.


Fishing can be wonderful recreation, but sharing the catch with your dog can be an act of kindness that kills.
Salmon Poisoning Disease is a potentially fatal condition seen in dogs that eat certain types of raw fish. Salmon (salmonid fish) and other anadromous fish (fish that swim upstream to breed) can be infected with a parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola. Overall, the parasite is relatively harmless. The danger occurs when the parasite itself is infected with a rickettsial organism called Neorickettsia helminthoeca. It’s this microorganism that causes salmon poisoning.

“Salmon poisoning occurs most commonly west of the Cascade mountain range,” says Dr. Bill Foreyt, a veterinary parasitologist at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He adds, “Canids (dogs) are the only species susceptible to salmon poisoning. That’s why cats, raccoons and bears eat raw fish regularly with out consequence.”

Generally clinical signs appear within six days of a dog eating an infected fish.

I guess the Vet was right, its a fluke of some kind, now all your doubts are over.

Nanophyetus salmincola
Type: Term

Pronunciation: na-nō′fī-ĕ-tŭs sal-min′kō-lă

Definitions:
1. A digenetic fish-borne fluke (family Nanophyetidae) of dogs and other fish-eating mammals; the vector of Neorickettsia helmintheca, the agent of salmon poisoning.