Reading Time: 5 minutes The province’s main cattle group says producers should be able to get a permit to kill grizzly bears that repeatedly kill livestock and damage property. “Alberta Beef Producers has resolved to lobby the government to provide livestock owners and landowners with permits, allowing them to kill a dangerous grizzly without being charged,” said Brad Dubeau, […] Read more
Total ban on killing grizzly bears isn’t working, say cattle producers
ABP wants government to issue permits to kill bears that repeatedly kill cattle and damage property
The bear facts: Farming with grizzly bears in your area
Some simple measures can reduce the odds of bears becoming an issue on your ranch or farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes Jim Duncan has his bear stories, but so do all of his neighbours. The Clearwater County rancher has seen bears in his yard looking in the calf sheds, but has never had a calf taken. Wolves, however, have taken two or three animals while cougars — which are out there but rarely seen — have […] Read more
Too close for comfort: Farmers recount grizzly bear encounter
Bear makes sheep farm its hunting ground and wreaks destruction before being snared
Reading Time: 2 minutes Bears can wreak havoc on a farm — Norm and Irene Korth learned this the hard way. The couple has a sheep farm in Clearwater County and lamb about 200 head. “About four years ago, we had a grizzly here, but we never did catch him,” said Irene Korth But things escalated this April, on […] Read more
Preventing conflicts with bears before they start
Reading Time: 2 minutes It doesn’t matter where you are in the province — Alberta is bear country. Bears prefer to be left alone, but tragedies do happen. It was the death of a woman attacked by a grizzly bear in Canmore in 2005 that led to the creation of the Bearsmart program. The voluntary program is a partnership […] Read more
Could a cement mixer have a place on your operation?
Composting deadstock is no different than garden waste — except you need a really big composter
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re in a wildlife corridor, the last thing you want to do is attract predators to your place. But that’s not easy if, like Marty Winchell, you’re raising sheep, pigs, laying hens and bees, as well as custom grazing cattle. Which is why there’s an old cement mixer sitting in his yard. His mixer […] Read more
Fears raised by growing bear numbers
A bear safety training program in southwestern Alberta will arm producers with some knowledge about bear behaviour — and their very own can of bear spray
Reading Time: 2 minutes A$10,000 farm safety grant may keep southwestern Alberta producers a little safer from bears. “(Bears have) been a problem that the community has grappled with,” said Jeff Bectell, chair of the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association in Pincher Creek. “Any time a community is facing issues, it really feels good when they know people understand… and […] Read more
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