Since I was a kid, bears have fascinated me. Though I rarely saw one, they seemed to me to be an exotic animal. The were popularized in legend, and stories about them contained the stuff of danger. Seeing one was a rarity.
No more. Bears are everywhere, and the population is growing slowly but surely in many areas to the point where some places have too many. They are showing up at restaurant dumpsters, campgrounds, and any place where a meal is easy. They turn over garbage cans, eat from Fido's dish, destroy bird feeders, and get hit by cars. And they get mange. There is a solution, but it's one animal rights advocates won't like.
Check out my August 6 column—read "Too Many Bears" online in the Jamestown (NY) Gazette. But be careful. You might end up wanting one.
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