LETTERS
Update: I bike the Tolt pipeline trail and I believe any Redmond mountain biker or hiker would want to know about this bear sighting, even if it might be a rumor.
"My husband encountered a mother and cub about half way up the Tolt pipeline trail in the Redmond watershed yesterday around 6pm.
He was biking, and came to an immediate halt when he saw the bears on the trail. Mother stood up on hind legs and growled before running off with baby following."
--anonymously reported today, 8/28, as a comment under my *2008 Hartman Bear Sighting Story. (note comments)
I'm going to publish this comment as a LETTER and still consider it a rumor.
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I checked www.bear.com on the N. American black bear for reproduction information, as follows:
"In northeastern Minnesota, black bears mate in late May or June. After implantation (in the uterous), the blastocysts develop rapidly and become cubs that are born in mid to late January.
Mother and cubs remain together for 16-17 months until May or June of the following year. Then, the family members separate, the mother mates again, and the 2-year cycle repeats.
Cub Survival in Litters of 1,2 3, or 4
What size litter contributes the highest number of surviving cubs to the next generation? In northeastern Minnesota, it is litters of three.
The litter size (3) that contributed the highest number of surviving cubs (2.45) to the next generation was also the most common litter size; 22 (63%) of 35 litters were 3.
Litters of 1 or 2 were usually from first-time mothers. Subsequent litters from these mothers were typically 3."
Bob Yoder
August 29, 2009
www.bear.org
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