Bears at GSMNP

My hubby and I recently return from a wonderful trip to GSMNP. Well mostly wonderful other than the horrible traffic and the fact that we got rear ended while we were there. Didn't let that take away from the beauty of the trip though! We got to see two bear. One at Laurel Falls and one at Roaring Fork. Surprisingly even with 3 trips through we didn't see any at Cades Cove. Here are a few of the bear shots, hope you enjoy. I know they are not the greatest technically but I wanted to share.

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Good for you. We've never seen bears in several visits to the park.

Nice bears! I need to remember to take my camera with me when I take out the trash! Bears hit my trash cans again today!!! GAAAAA!!!!

Great captures though, and nice adventure for a visit to GSMNP.

I know the feeling of spotting a bear. I was there in May and was lucky enough to see 3. Trying to capture it with your camera is also a difficult thing. You did well to get these.

So THERE'S the little guy! Wow, you were right. That was close! Great shots!!!

nice, I see black bears pretty often here in Kentucky whenever i get out hiking about 30 miles outside of the city,

Good shots. Saw a programme about black bears a few nights ago on UK tv. I couldn't believe you people are allowed to shoot and kill them - what's that all about?

Thanks everyone, glad you enjoyed them. I sure enjoyed taking them. These guys were just awesome to watch. I could have followed them around all day hehe.

Jennifer, remember that camera next time you go outside! Actually I think I would be scared to have them in my back yard!

Thanks again everyone!

Tammy,
Nice shots ... It never gets old seeing the Black Bears in GSMNP. Glad that you got the chance.

This summer was probably the best year in the last 20 for bears in the park and specifically in Cades Cove. By the time of year that you were here the bears have moved up to higher elevations.

In one weekend we saw 39 bears, just the cove! It was an awesome summer and I am still working through photos. Litters that I know about included 3 sets of Mom and two cubs, three sets of Mom and three and one poor Mother with four cubs!

bhowdy wrote in post #8950044
Tammy,
Nice shots ... It never gets old seeing the Black Bears in GSMNP. Glad that you got the chance.

This summer was probably the best year in the last 20 for bears in the park and specifically in Cades Cove. By the time of year that you were here the bears have moved up to higher elevations.

In one weekend we saw 39 bears, just the cove! It was an awesome summer and I am still working through photos. Litters that I know about included 3 sets of Mom and two cubs, three sets of Mom and three and one poor Mother with four cubs!

Wow that would have been amazing to see that many. We were really hoping to see a momma and cubs oh well hopefully next trip! It's great to get pics of them but its amazing to just see them that close and watch them and not behind bars of a zoo. They are really beautiful animals! Glad you liked the pics!!

scrumpy wrote in post #8938576
Good shots. Saw a programme about black bears a few nights ago on UK tv. I couldn't believe you people are allowed to shoot and kill them - what's that all about?

I saw that too. Poor Buggers.

Beautiful Pictures TammyC

scrumpy wrote in post #8938576
Good shots. Saw a programme about black bears a few nights ago on UK tv. I couldn't believe you people are allowed to shoot and kill them - what's that all about?

Did you happen to catch the location of where that hunting took place? In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, hunting is strictly prohibited. This is a federally protected park.

Question for those of you that visit the park frequently, what is the best time of year to visit where there are the least amount of annoying tourist? We would like to plan a visit back but the traffic was insane in October, is there a better time of year? How is it in the Spring? We'd like to see the wildflowers. Thanks!

Tammy: You were probably a week or two too early. My neighbor just spent a week (11/01 to 11/07) down there and saw bear every day. In Cades Cove and even in a tree near his time share just outside Pigeon Forge.

My sister-in-law has a house just outside Sevierville and we go down once or twice a year. She is going down next week (11/15 - 11/21). Best times to avoid the tourist traffic seem to be Nov-Dec and Feb-March.

FYI: Cades Cove will be closed from March 2010 thru May 2010 so the road can be repaved. So this spring may not be a good time to visit the area.

Scrumpy: Black Bear hunting only takes place in states where there is a large population and is very strictly regulated. Believe it or not, there are areas where they are numerous enough to be a nuisance. Orchardists have lots of problems in Western Maryland. Black bears cause problems with the apple trees and particularly with the bee hives set out to pollinate the trees.

We were there a couple of months ago and didn't see any. Cades Cove road is horrible. I got a crap load of deer shots, but no bear.