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Published - Friday, May 16, 2008

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Black bear spotted in Hixon Forest


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Hide your porridge. Several hikers spotted a 250-pound male black bear in Hixon Forest on Thursday morning, said forest naturalist Stephanie Hanna.

The 3-year-old bear likely is hunting for plants and berries “and then love after that,” said Myrick Hixon EcoPark Executive Director Jim Morgan.
“He’s probably finding food in the forest. He should have a lot out there,” Hanna said.

The bear was sighted in a clearing of the reforestation project, about ¾-mile from Hwy. 16 and La Crosse Street.

The bear doesn’t pose a risk to humans and is a sign of a quality ecosystem, Morgan said.

“Enjoy him, smile when you see him, but obviously we don’t want people throwing a peanut butter sandwich at him,” he said.

The bear likely is more scared of us than we are of him, despite his intimidating size, large teeth and sharp claws, Morgan said.

“They don’t really like humans any more than we’re comfortable with bears in our backyard,” he said.

If the bear sees you, Morgan recommended you make loud noises to scare him away.

Park users should steer clear of the bear and head in the opposite direction if they encounter him during a hike, Morgan said.

“This is a wild bear — there are no bars to protect you. Give him lots of room,” he said. “You have to respect the bear. He has as much right to be in the woods as we do.”

Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.
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Michael Welch wrote on May 17, 2008 1:33 PM:

" Is the little 'Dutch Boy' yet another alter ego of the 'Johnny-Tess' who appears on Jimmy Gillman's blog? Or only an mere imitator? Very interesting that 'it' decides to take the same angle of mockingly distorting my support for Obama. I suggest folks take a look at the 'level' of distortion and hysteria about Obama that is 'regular' on the Gillman blogs in order to see how truly LOW that level of opposition has gone. We had 'fun' with the bear and feral pig but now such as 'Dutchy' descend to the creep level and hey -- what to expect from a self-named 'bozo' eh?... "

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 11:38 PM:

" I included a verse for el Quran (Koran) for you all. Since, after Barrack Hussein Obama is annoited president, you will see the conclusion of Christian American and the emergance of Islamic America. Michael has attempted to warn everyone, but as usual, you are all caught up in your material needs. "

Mack wrote on May 16, 2008 10:57 PM:

" random annoying bozo, your post is very sad. Racism cannot be arrived at with logic, it is more like a negative knowledge, a shrinking of the brain, that must be taught. There is not much on this planet as sad. "

random annoying bozo wrote on May 16, 2008 8:38 PM:

" Mr Welch, nice job working that plug for Obama into you post. but then i thought, might it be some sort of racist comment, after all it is a black bear. heaven forbid in this touchy feely election we have going at present, someone may take it in the wrong context. "

rickey wrote on May 16, 2008 1:44 PM:

" That bear was a Polor bear that got sick of the Global Warming on the North Pole ,So He got a Dye job and moved to Wisconsin "

mby wrote on May 16, 2008 1:36 PM:

" who answers everyday questions in 2008 by quoting the bible? No offence to those that read the bible, but really, quoting it to support your comments to killing wild life and eating them because they don't have a right to be in their natural land. GAG ME, go to barns and noble they have lots of books other than the bible. get out live life a little more. "

mby wrote on May 16, 2008 1:32 PM:

" LOL on the bliss road comment "

mby wrote on May 16, 2008 1:30 PM:

" dutch boy, it would figure that you would come back with a quote from the bible. I bet you think that we should still have slaves as well. Women in the kitchen. Ahhhh, I wish I could be your wife and mother of your children they are so lucky. "

irish_frog wrote on May 16, 2008 1:10 PM:

" Boys and girls, please don't feed the troll. If you ignore him, he will go away. "

conscience? wrote on May 16, 2008 1:05 PM:

" I hope the bear eats dutchboy. "

Michael Welch wrote on May 16, 2008 12:56 PM:

" Feral pigs in Viroqua! Black bears in Hixon forest! Is this the end of Ricco?! Is this the sign of the apocalypse?! What next? A President Obama?!!!! Oh me oh my! Oh dear oh dear oh dear!... "

Moderate Republican wrote on May 16, 2008 12:51 PM:

" I saw the bear myself in Arbor Hill in a neighbors front yard with all the Fisher Price toys. The bear looked lost and I told him that if he wants to get to LaCrosse, he'd have to take Cty Rd F to Hwy 33, because our mayor is too cheap to fix Bliss Rd. "

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 12:35 PM:

" The Koran states, 15: 30. So when I fashioned him [man] in perfection and have breath into him of MY spirit, fall ye down [all creatures] in submission to him.

Clearly, Man rules, bears drool. 'Nuff said. "

Chatter cat wrote on May 16, 2008 12:17 PM:

" Hide your porridge. No, secure your garbage, bird feeders, dog food and other temptations that would cause this bear to come into urban areas. For the protection of the bear and people alike, DONT FEED THE BEAR! "

ilsa wrote on May 16, 2008 11:59 AM:

" DutchBoy you sound D-U-M. You sound like a "bitter American; clinging to your guns and religion." "

CJ wrote on May 16, 2008 11:53 AM:

" Hide your porridge.....great line :)Dutchboy I bet you go about a buck 20 and never had a date......now go fold your mom's clothes and let Rickey back online :) "

Mack wrote on May 16, 2008 11:37 AM:

" DutchBoy has the yips. "

willie wrote on May 16, 2008 11:21 AM:

" DutchBoy, I wouldn't be surprised if you end up in a zoo (i.e. jail) too. "

conscience? wrote on May 16, 2008 11:16 AM:

" That passage was the last one I read in the bible. I stopped reading it because of it, but where does that passage state that we should seek and destroy animals?

The behavior of men to lower animals, and their behavior to each other, bear a constant relationship.
- Herbert Spencer
"

Ranger821 wrote on May 16, 2008 11:00 AM:

" if you read the bible in HEBREW you just might find the real passages. "

commonsense101 wrote on May 16, 2008 10:54 AM:

" With the mentality of people like this, the bear will most likely leave on his own. "

rfield wrote on May 16, 2008 10:51 AM:

" DutchBoy - you are anything but civilized. No animal belongs in a zoo or an "Eco Park." Poach that bear though, and hopefully you can visit the human "Eco Park." "

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 10:49 AM:

" Genesis 1, 26: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."

Game, set, match, championship! "

conscience? wrote on May 16, 2008 10:34 AM:

" We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
-Immanuel Kant
"

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 10:19 AM:

" For the record, (as I stated yesterday) I've vacationed in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia in Canada and Alaska and Minnesota in the US. I've encountered brown, black, grizzly and polar bears in THEIR environment and on their terms. Hixon Forest, much less La Crosse County has neither land base nor bear food stuffs (wild berrys, saskatoons, etc.) to support a bear population. Hence, in La Crosse County bears (and wolves) belong in an Eco-Park, on TV or on my grill and wall/floor. It's called civilization...deal with it! "

Ranger821 wrote on May 16, 2008 10:17 AM:

" The National Park Service ORGANIC ACT(16 U.S.C. l 2 3, and 4), as set forth herein, consists of the Act of Aug. 25 1916 (39 Stat. 535) and amendments thereto.


"...purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" "

Ranger821 wrote on May 16, 2008 10:07 AM:

" As a U.S. Park Ranger (Federal Police Officer) I pity Dutch Boy who does not appreciate his surroundings. I'm all for hunting bears if it is LEGAL! Having grown up in the La Crosse Area, I would love to see bears back in the area. However, I work National Park and deal with grizzly bears every day. They are glorious animals that NEED protection from "certain" people; and if land was meant to be developed, the National Parks wouldn't have been created. Even in 1872 they figured THAT out. "

LampLighter wrote on May 16, 2008 9:26 AM:

" Can you beleive Jim Morgans statement that "he has as much right to be in the woods as we". Come on, get real. The bear has all the rights to be there and we have less rights. It should be said and read " the bear has more rights to be in the woods then we do". Would it be right to say that the bear has as much rights to be in your living room at your house as you do. Leave the bear alone as it's his domain and living room. Enough said. "

mby wrote on May 16, 2008 8:42 AM:

" Excuse me, bacon powder? Did I read Dutch boys comments right? They belong in zoo's? That is the last place an animal belongs. Humans are the ones that took their home away from them that forces them into garges and bird feeders. appriciate that they are living with us on this planet and it is as much theirs as it is ours. Have some respect for something other than (im sure) the toys you play with and your mr. happy. "

Mack wrote on May 16, 2008 8:30 AM:

" Dutchboy, maybe when you grow up you might start to appreciate nature. If you're so tough, why don't you take the bear on without a gun, it's on a 250 pound cub. You should be able to handle that. It always cracks me up how our 'Tuffs' need a gun. "

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 7:35 AM:

" Land is meant to be developed. Bears (and wolves) belong in zoos (oh, excuse me, "Eco parks"), cartoons and on the National Geographic channel, NOT in backyards of the 7 Rivers Region. "

Mack wrote on May 16, 2008 7:30 AM:

" Leave the bear alone. We've developed so much of their habitat there are not many places left where they can live in peace. You should how they are butchering the bluffs in Allamakee County, Iowa, just a few miles to our south. "

GARVI wrote on May 16, 2008 7:21 AM:

" 250 pounds ?? What, did it walk over a scale when spotted. It will be easy to spot, this bear will be in any garbage or bird feeders in this area. "

002 wrote on May 16, 2008 7:05 AM:

" We should trap the bear and ask him to pitch in on the Bliss Road project since he probably uses that road every now and then. "

DutchBoy wrote on May 16, 2008 7:04 AM:

" Fortunately, citizens of La Crosse (and Shelby), Mr. Bear has a date...with my .44 after which I hope to enjoy a good bear steak and a new rug for my Man Cave. "


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