A bear visit E. Prospect St Htown
I have had a bear break a 2 pc gate off my fencing; ripped it off. THe bear took
down and smashed a few feeders. He also pulled a metal pole over in half
Today May 22 my third visit by bear, ripping off other side gate; There were NO feeders outside I bring them in at night; He tore down a blue bird house;
ripped it off pole and killed 3 baby blue birds. Keep your eyes open I thought bears migrated else where.
Toni J Torchia Bears remember food sources. Bringing feeders in is the solution. I have had problems with them too. My brother says that they travel a large routine in their never ending search for food.
Robert Rowe I live near you and have heard there is a Mama Bear with cubs on our street as well. My neighbor saw the cubs in a tree in her backyard...
joyful They are EVERYWHERE this spring. I’ve been in the area 13 years and spend more time in the woods than most and have seen more bears in and around homes (my own and neighbors) than I have in the state parks this year.
The penalty for feeding wild animals should be incredibly harsh. I hear stories of people leaving food out for bears and other wild animals and it drives me crazy. Once they lose their fear of humans we’ll have a significant problem on our hands.
As of the end of last year, human/bear encounters in NJ were up 200% from previous years. I think the bear hunt should be extended year-round until nature returns to a balanced state.
ConsigliereFemales used to have their first cubs on average at age three, now it is age two. That alone increases bear population exponentially. Experts conclude eating human food has affected bears physiologically. Don't feed wild animals.
I so agree with you ..ole'timer........also have a problem with the feral cats as the neighbors feed them as well. I get them all on my street, bear, racoons, fox, coyotes, feral cats, deer, etc. etc. but no more bunny rabbits ???? (wondering why?)...
Joyful - still out share of bunnies eating the garden here. But I think you answered your own question if your rabbit population is down - "racoons, fox, coyotes"
GC Bird feeders should have been brought in 1- 2 months ago.
There was no snow pack. The birds don’t even need feeders.
Smart towns ban bird feeders.
I agree with the above. Feeding wildlife is utter stupidity and should be heavily fined.
One of my neighbors must leave peanuts out for the animals.
I've found peanut shells on my front and back decks, my yard, my driveway, under the hood of my car....
When I had to do a repair on my wife's car that required removing the wheel well liner to get the the fuel tank evap pump- there was more peanut shells inside..
Josh 
tmb6123 Just an FYI. There was a bobcat in my yard here in the Highlands in Independence yesterday. He/she caught a squirrel and took off into the woods. And I haven't heard my neighbor's rooster crowing today.
I was stunned. I've never seen a bobcat before. My adult son saw it too. Both of us knew immediately what it was.
Be alert when letting your pets out.
Lonesome Dove @ Lonesome Dove....My son saw what he thought was a coyote a few weeks ago also in the night when he was visiting. At first he heard screaming sounds like he said a woman was being violated in the woods behind my home and then he saw this huge doglike creature so naturally got back in the house. We had a different bear two days ago than the Mother with cubs I saw the day before too. I love to sit outdoors on nice days but a bit afraid to do that anymore.. I live near the Hills of Independence in Independence...
Joyful, that “screaming” sound your son heard was a fox either defending its territory or calling for a mate. When I lived in upstate NY a neighbor of mine actually called the police because he thought a child was being attacked in the woods. It’s a bone-chilling sound for sure but 100% a fox.
@ Consigliere: He said it was a sound like a woman screaming being attacked and my 6 foot 3 son was ready to head into the woods to help until he said he saw the shadow of what looked to be a large dog...Would a fox be that big?? We have had coyote sightings in our area recently too....
Yes, sounds exactly like a fox noises. On the Forum some years ago there was someone asking if they heard screams like that, and it turned out to be a fox.
ianimal That dang bobcat was back again today and got another squirrel. I just ordered some wolf urine from Amazon. Supposedly it will scare them away. Maybe it will also discourage the bears. Unfortunately it will probably chase the deer away too. I enjoy watching the fawns in my yard every year.
A few years back, we had a fisher cat in the area and their screams were frightening.
We are seeing an oversized cat on our porch regularly and know it is a "bobcat". I chase him with a broom BUT don't get close to him. What can we do to get rid of this. The police are not helpful and nervous of this as well.
BERNIE BERNIE- contact fish and wildlife - see what they suggest - they might be willing to trap and relocate it
4catmom Bernie, where are you located? I'm wondering if it's the same one coming to my yard off of Russling Road in Independence.
I've done some Googling and found out that spraying wolf urine around will scare them away, so I ordered some from Amazon. I couldn't find any place in this area that sells it.
Bobcats don't threaten people, the NJ population is not known to cause small dog/cat/livestock attacks but they are growing in numbers so maybe their behavior is changing.
I have glimpsed many in the woods and roadsides and they are pretty darn shy - if you are certain it is a bobcat, and acting boldly and out of the ordinary, it might be worth contacting the DEP https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/conservation/reporting-rare-wildlife-sightings/
I live on 4th Street right near M&M's.
Thanks for the suggestions. I do not have any food out, I know it is not a cat.
Alot of urban NYC commuting expats to the area past 5-10 years without common sense throwing random things out into the landscape. Caught a neighbor throwing corn and old potatoes out into the bushes "for the deers". Told her not to do that, cos of other more dangerous animals, and she gave me the finger. .
Rodent infestation too, although there seem to be a lot of predators in NW NJ to keep the numbers down.
iJay So then explain to me folks why did you move to the country areas of New Jersey did you not realize you were going to have to live among the wildlife this is in Newark or Jersey City I don't put bird seed out for the summer there's no need to you put your trash out the morning get your literature and then learn to live amongst the animals they're always going to be more afraid of you then you of them unless they have their their pups their kids their their their baby bears with them just leave them alone. Good Lord humans are becoming more of the problem on this Earth than animals you're worried about a few bears when we got a nuclear weapons pointed at us jeez I don't know what if you're more?
Outdoor Women I'm 70+ years old and have lived here in Hackettstown/Independence area my whole life. So I'm well aware of the wildlife that lives around us. I'm just not comfortable with it suddenly living so close and in my back yard.
Anyway, I spent the $40 to get the wolf urine from Amazon, which I sprayed around my yard tonight. Someone forgot to tell the bobcat that he is supposed to be frightened of this smell and head on out to other places. All he did was come out, sniff the places I sprayed, and then laid down to watch for his next squirrel meal.
So, I'm at a loss as to how to dissuade this critter from hanging around here. All the rabbits, chipmunks, ground hogs, raccoons, foxes, and squirrels have disappeared. Some I do not miss, some I do. I suppose once he's killed and eaten everything, cleans the place out, then he'll move on to somewhere else. It may be nature's way, but I'm sad.
I don't have a cell phone with a camera. And I'm also too far away from it anyway.
Ah understood. Just curious if it is indeed a regular bobcat as they are unlikely to act so boldly. They also do not usually affect foxes nor hunt them
Does it look like the critters in these pics? https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/new-jersey/stories-in-new-jersey/building-bobcat-alley/
Why would a NJ bobcat be afraid of the smell of wolf urine when there isn't a native wolf population within 500 miles of here?
I actually wondered the same thing, Ianimal. But several articles I read said it would work. Guess they didn't know how you can't fool a New Jersey bobcat, lol.
Lilo, it looks exactly like those pictures. I have already looked up pictures of bobcats, so I was pretty certain that's what it is. Much too big to be a regular cat. And it's not really bold, it will run away if I step outside and it sees me. It just ignores me when I yell at it from my window.
Ayy that is concerning, Lonesome Dove! I would give the DEP a call 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337)
I hope they would be interested in helping
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