Had a taxidermy friend in Kerrville tell me that a black bear cub was killed outside the YO Ranch in Junction today. Apparently the young bear ( 103 lbs according to TPWD) mock charged the rancher and his dogs and wouldn't back down. The rancher shot him in self defense (according to the rancher). Right now the bear belongs to TPWD and is at Rhodes Taxidermy and Game Processing in Kerrville. There is a pic of the cub on their facebook page. Necropsy done on the bear showed that the bear had a bunch of hog hair in its stomach and no fat storage whatsoever. Sounds like another starving animal losing its fear of humans in search for food.

To add, two bears had been seen in the area over the past three months. One larger and one smaller one. I guess the smaller one is dead now. Wonder if the larger one was the mother and something had happened to her as well.

bears are taking over.....time to start the hunt

This is the best pic I have of the bear. That's Gary of Rhodes Brother's Taxidermy in the pic with it.

cool. thanks for posting

I saw a black bear just south of Leaky on the frio river a couple of years ago. Couldn't believe what i was seeing. Could the farmer keep it if he wanted it?

that's crazy i live in the kerrville area and that's not far at all

Thanks for info and pics!

Thanks for the info

Mike
Was it junction or mountain home
I ask since yo ranchlands is 45 minutes from junction

2008 news release from TPWD:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20080415c

2008 article about bears in west TX:
http://www.wildlifemanagementpro.com/2008/01/28/black-bear-at-west-texas-deer-feeder/

2010 article about bears in east TX:
http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/black-bears-lumbering-back-into-east-texas-745714.html

Wow that's crazy

well it was yo ranch lands it was in the kerrville daily times this mornin

I was just told outside the YO Ranch in Junction.

Chris I am not sure if the rancher can get the bear back. Right now it is property of TPWD. I guess it is up to them.

Cool pic.

According to some folks on this forum, about as crazy as the Desert Bighorn,large rack bucks,Jaguarundi,Ocelot,Kudamundi, and Margay, but true none-the-less.
The whole area west of San Antonio is raw unimpeded country almost to the Pacific ocean. Nature, get in it.

I wouldn't mind if the bears make a nice comeback and we'll be allowed to hunt them in this state again. Even if it were limited hunts on draws. Be nice to have a chance at a Texas bear again.

Agreed!

a guy i hunted his land in rocksprings said they saw a bear one night spotlighting, wasn't sure whether to believe him or not but i guess it could be true

Bears are trying to make a come back, but it will take a long, long time if idiots like this rancher keep running into them. I've had my share of run in's with bears in AZ, and can confidently say this guy wasn't in any danger from a 100lb cub. Probably shot first, then looked it up and found out it was illegal and made up a story.