Bear attacked my hives oh no, please no!!!

[paus]

I am thinking like Ace, look for tracks, maybe these bears wear shoes.  A game camera would solve the mystery They have become very reasonable and with no flash only IR illuminated pictures.  Some of these cameras have definition that is better than my expensive Nikon, that I bought 10 years ago.

[Ben Framed]

I am thinking like Ace, look for tracks, maybe these bears wear shoes.  A game camera would solve the mystery They have become very reasonable and with no flash only IR illuminated pictures.  Some of these cameras have definition that is better than my expensive Nikon, that I bought 10 years ago.

Mr Van, Are you in a secluded area?  Do you have neighbors close by?

[ed/La.]

Van, did you see this bear?  Bears usually bust up the hive into pieces.  Straps are child's play for a bear.

You are right. It could have been  teenagers.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Ace, I believe the bear in your part of the country can go upwards of 600 pounds.  Is this correct???  In the Ozarks the bear are half that size.  I did not see the bear.  He was strong enough to tip over 3 double deep, 10 frame Lang hives at once.  The bear, toppled the whole stand over with the weight of three hives.  I did see paw smears on the hives, ground to hard to leave tracks.

The hives were heavy enough that it took 2 men to lift one hive while we had insane honey bees stinging the pants off me.  OK, I took a total of 6 stings, not bad actually.  I was wearing a jacket only, not a full bee proof suit.

[iddee]

SIX STINGS??

What do you call that? If I don't get that many in a normal bee day, I pick a few up and stick them to me. It's a useless day in the bee yard if I don't get 8 or 10.   

PS. No reloading equip. needed. Just open a 3 inch shell, remove lead, add rock salt, and fold the cardboard back down.

Works on teenagers, too.     

[Ben Framed]

At least You may help Yourself!
In Germany first one may not own a gun. Second if You own a gun (legally, quite a process) and shoot a bear (which are just arriving again in Germany) or a wolf (we got those again...) you get a sentence worse than if You shot a kid....

I know, God Bless you! What if the bear was coming after you while you were in your bee yard? I guess you would have to try to fight it off with a stick just to save your life !!! I want to leave you with a quote from a famous person from the past "All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns; that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party." ---Mao Tse Tung. That's is exactly what the hide away communist are trying to do to us free born American Citizens here in My Country;  Render us defenseless!  Be careful over there in Germany, kind sir. Sincerely, Phillip Hall

[Acebird]

Works on teenagers, too.     

Ha, ha, ha.  Nothing works on teenagers anymore because you can't slap them before they get there.  Rock salt only works on the ones you shot.  There is always new ones coming up that haven't learned yet.

Van, you are correct.  Our bears are big.  However the way you have made your stand it wouldn't take much to push the hives over.  No match for a double dare.

[ed/La.]

Teenagers probably filmed it and it is on facebook somewhere

[BeeMaster2]

6 hives were knocked over, some drag down hill, some of the hives were strapped to the stand so the bear knocked the whole thing over, stand and hive.

Teenagers would bee gone after they knocked the first stand down. They sure are not going to drag a hive down the hill with several thousand bees all over them.
Jim

[blackforest beekeeper]

At least You may help Yourself!
In Germany first one may not own a gun. Second if You own a gun (legally, quite a process) and shoot a bear (which are just arriving again in Germany) or a wolf (we got those again...) you get a sentence worse than if You shot a kid....

I know, God Bless you! What if the bear was coming after you while you were in your bee yard? I guess you would have to try to fight it off with a stick just to save your life !!! I want to leave you with a quote from a famous person from the past "All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns; that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party." ---Mao Tse Tung. That's is exactly what the hide away communist are trying to do to us free born American Citizens here in My Country;  Render us defenseless!  Be careful over there in Germany, kind sir. Sincerely, Phillip Hall

Of course, You are right.
On the other hand, I guess guns will always be more or less legal and easy to have in the US because the US of A is securing its influence in the world with the aid of weaponry. So citizens are kept close to weapons on an emotional and material level. In Germany a "pacifistic" mentality is - I guess - the majority. There just have been to many wars in Europe, I guess.
Other: In Switzerland, just about every male person who has served his two years of military has gun and everything at home, to be ready. Just a few clicks away from us.
Germany is over-ruled. it`s for crying out loud.
A hunter may have guns. To become a hunter, one has to go to school and take a few exams, which are not trivial at all.
Then, when a hunter has guns, he may only carry them or transport them ON HIS WAY TO HUNTING. nowhere else. If he stops for groceries on the way and has his gun in the car - that was it. Never will have a gun again. A friend wanting to go hunting. Forgot something in the house, went back into the house. The gun still in his car. A bad neighbour took a photo and gave it to the police. he was in the house maybe five minutes... gladly it all was all right in the end, the lady withdrew her charges for whatever reasons. but that`s about how it goes around here.
There was a dead wolf in a lake lately. Shot. They investigated just as hard as it if had been a dead kid. Really true.
If a wolf came at You: You are supposed to yell loud and wave and stuff like that....
It I (capitals) had a gun and a wolf showed his nose...
...I guess  :wink:I would have to wave it at the wolf!!!

[Hops Brewster]

PS. No reloading equip. needed. Just open a 3 inch shell, remove lead, add rock salt, and fold the cardboard back down.

Works on teenagers, too.     

That's the way to load rock salt if ya don't have a shell press.  But idee, when was the last time you bought shells?   They haven't made paper shells in many a year!  They're all plastic now, and a little tougher to fold closed.  Just need a little more effort, but it can be done.

[Ben Framed]

Hello Mr Van, all good last night?

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Mr. Ben:  The bear has not returned.  I am guessing the reason is since the hives were strapped, all the bear got was stingers in his hose, no food.  I would not be surprised if the bear returned, but so far, so good.

Iddee, ya I know, I am whining about 6 stings..... usual is no stings.  Six stings is what I normally receive in a year.

[Ben Framed]

Mr. Ben:  The bear has not returned.  I am guessing the reason is since the hives were strapped, all the bear got was stingers in his hose, no food. 

Good for his nose and good for you, that he has not returned. Have you opened the hives since the event?

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

 I have to put on protection to even walk by the hives that were rolled.  Those bees are still shaken up.

I did open two breeder quality hives this morning that were NOT rolled by the bear and those bees were very gentle.  I have 20 hives scattered over 1/2 acre and the bear only rolled less than half.

[Ben Framed]

I have to put on protection to even walk by the hives that were rolled.  Those bees are still shaken up.

I did open two breeder quality hives this morning that were NOT rolled by the bear and those bees were very gentle.  I have 20 hives scattered over 1/2 acre and the bear only rolled less than half.

Did you get a chance to read my reply on Reply #8 ? If not you may want to check out just how critical my situation was with my one hive that was knocked over. The one, was bad enough. Since it was laying on its side fully intact, I thought all was well; (until I opened it) Man what a mess. I certinally hope you don't have the same experience that I did. To bad I don't live closer, I would be happy to help you.  Best to you.
Sincerely, Phillip Hall "Ben Framed"

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Mr. Ben, I have not opened the rolled hives.  The bees wax is on plastacell, but I realize a frame of honey is heavy.  The hives that were rolled were support hives so not very much worry.  Only one breeder quality hive was rolled, I will check that hive shortly and let ya know.
Blessings

I just checked the breeder quality hive, eggs and larva present.  I did see the queen. a beautiful Cordovan.  All is well with this hive, the first pictured hive of the nuc. 

[Ben Framed]

I just checked the breeder quality hive, eggs and larva present.  I did see the queen. a beautiful Cordovan.  All is well with this hive, the first pictured hive of the nuc.

Glad to hear that good news Mr Van!! A blessing !!

[beepro]

Glad that this bear attack is over for now.  But I have a feeling that it will be back once hungry.  At 10pm I would stay in and
browse the net for a reliable electric fence kit.   Going out there at night time is too dangerous.  Maybe Van can put the hives in
a bear proof shed and then take them out again in the Spring.    The bears will be hungry alright by then.
This will give him some time to think about what is the next step to take.  Maybe to put the breeder queen hive inside the electric fence area.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Beepro{Maybe to put the breeder queen hive inside the electric fence area.}.

Funny you should mention about my breeder queen.  Locally my breeder queen is some what famous.  My bee buddies suggested I take the breeder queen inside my house.  Har har har

Beepro you would adore this queen, she is Cordovan, just a laying machine, my gentlest bee hive.  She generates 50% Cordovan queens/workers.

Got to hand it to my neighbors, they were at my house in a flash to help with the clean up.

Beemaster Members: I appreciate all who Text, Beemaster has some really good folks on this site.  I do make small donations to Beemaster.  Mr. Jim, sawdust, you are doing an awesome job on this site.

Blessings to the members of Beemaster.