Bear in South Texas

[El General]

Many years ago My Dad and I hunted outside of Kerville in Mountain Home. The Rancher was a care taker for a Lady that had several hundred elk on her property and he took us over there once to look at the elk. In the process he showed us a pair of Grizzly's in a steel cage in back of the barn. Why they had these I will never know and whatever happened to them is unknown. The boar was well over 800 pounds and the female was probably 600+.

****. They got ESA protection in the mid 70's. How long ago was that?

I grew up hunting just west of there. I can remember a bear sighting making the paper in Kerrville in the 80's.

I wonder how many have to show up before they open a season on them?

[SaltwaterSlick]

OP, where did you see in the posted link anything about bears in South Texas Jim Hogg, etc. ? I've read the article, watched the video and checked the pic. No mention I can find of South Texas...

Just curious as I have a new property in Webb County and hoping not to have to contend with bears...
We had sightings and even a dead bear on our place in Val Verde and Kinney counties on the Rio Grande south of Del Rio over the years, but hadn't heard anything about them as far south as Webb, Zapata or Jim Hogg counties...

[RF76]

There was one hit by a car by the Laredo Community College south campus in Laredo, Texas along Hwy 83 a couple of years back. There was also some sightings of a bear sow and two cubs about 1 mile from where it was hit.

[hogdaddy]

couple used to raid the dumpsters behind the Diablo Inn at Amsted years ago. Heard vague rumor that one took a ride to Houston on account of a collision with an arrow, true false who knows?

Buy yeah they've been around a while.

[Tx_Wader]

OP, where did you see in the posted link anything about bears in South Texas Jim Hogg, etc. ? I've read the article, watched the video and checked the pic. No mention I can find of South Texas...

Just curious as I have a new property in Webb County and hoping not to have to contend with bears...
We had sightings and even a dead bear on our place in Val Verde and Kinney counties on the Rio Grande south of Del Rio over the years, but hadn't heard anything about them as far south as Webb, Zapata or Jim Hogg counties...

Heck they even have a bear as a mascot in Webb County buddy.

http://www.webbcountytx.gov/DistrictAttorney/HuggyBear/

[muzzlebrake]

They have migrated all the way north to the Concho in Sterling County where they used to be common. As a kid we lived in Crane, Tx south of Odessa for a short time and there was a bear season in Crane co. back then. Bears were pretty common between Crane and McCamey out in the salt cedar flats and out around King Mountain/Castle Gap and along the Pecos. I only saw one crossing the ranch road below Indian Spring but saw a few that that other had killed and brought through town. All the ones I ever saw were small, no more than a 100lb or so. Bout like average sized Rottweiler.
Ranchers hated them since they preyed on the thousands of angora goats they raised out there back then. We talking 1962-63
With all the hair sheep being raised out there now it's pretty certain the bears and cougars are going to start moving in. Easy pickings.

[Rcole1310]

I LOVE hunting bears but I bet this would be a total nuisance to deal with if their population really grew. Then again, folks deal with them in other parts of the country and still hunt so....
I bet a Texas bear would be a small, pathetic looking thing compared to other states.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wudstix]

Maybe in my lifetime?

[ElkHunter80]

Nw Texas confirmed