# Augusta Bear



## Fourayball (Jun 16, 2014)

Seems they are moving into the Augusta area. One was spotted in city limits last night off Warren Road. A couple days ago, there was one spotted at Clarks Hill Lake on the SC side, and not long after one was spotted near I-20 in North Augusta. Same bear? Maybe. If so, he crossed the river yesterday sometime.


----------



## BigCats (Jun 16, 2014)

He's doing some moving if so heard they saw him in Columbia county also


----------



## The mtn man (Jun 16, 2014)

Some of us have been saying for a while, it won't be long until you folks in middle Ga will be cussing the bears. Bears are like roaches, if you get lucky enough to see one, there are a dozen more that you won't see.


----------



## Revvv (Jun 17, 2014)

I moved from the Lincoln Co side of the lake a couple years ago, and I can assure you that there are a few Black Bear here. My wife still laughs at me and tells the story of the night I went to take the trash out to find a small bear in my driveway.

I'm really not sure who was more surprised, the bear, or me. I stumbled backwards slamming the door, and the bear took off at the same time back down the drive. 

A few minutes later I decided to haul the trash out, and as I walked I could see scratch marks and bear droppings all the way out to the road. It was apparent that the bear was a young cub, which means that there was a mother somewhere. 

The facts are simple; as the population grows Northward the bear population will look for a better home. My dad and I used to bear hunt in N. GA, and he always said there were bear around the lake.

Right now my brother has game cams up outside of Thomson because we are certain a bear has taken up residence where we hunt. We have seen possible signs, but nothing will be conclusive until I have a picture.


----------



## Revvv (Jun 17, 2014)

I can deal with a few Black Bear, it's the coyote population in Columbia Co that's driving me insane. Right now I am on a constant lookout as the does give birth to a new generation of deer. I prefer to see fawns than coyote any day.


----------



## The mtn man (Jun 17, 2014)

Revvv said:


> I can deal with a few Black Bear, it's the coyote population in Columbia Co that's driving me insane. Right now I am on a constant lookout as the does give birth to a new generation of deer. I prefer to see fawns than coyote any day.



Coyotes are no where near as efficient at killing fawns as bears are. I read a study from Penn. st. I believe that found that out of all the fawn mortality, in bear country, black bears were responsible for around 80%, if I remember correctly.


----------



## Revvv (Jun 17, 2014)

cklem said:


> Coyotes are no where near as efficient at killing fawns as bears are. I read a study from Penn. st. I believe that found that out of all the fawn mortality, in bear country, black bears were responsible for around 80%, if I remember correctly.



The difference is that we are over-run with coyotes down here. Bear sightings are rare.


----------



## The mtn man (Jun 17, 2014)

Revvv said:


> The difference is that we are over-run with coyotes down here. Bear sightings are rare.



Yep true, that, I still think you guys are gonna get bears before too much longer, we probably see more bears than coyotes. Their definatly expanding their range south.


----------

