Common sense is a rare thing at DNR these days

from this morning's Herald
Warnings of bear sightings issued
People urged to give bruins lots of room
By DAN ARSENAULT Staff Reporter
Wed. Jun 16 - 4:53 AM
The number of recent bear sightings in the Halifax area doesn’t come as a surprise to wildlife technician Jenny Costelo.
"June is the time of year when pickings are slim in the woods," the Department of Natural Resources employee said Tuesday.
"When that happens — bears are eating machines — and they’ll get food any way they can, so they come around subdivisions.
"It’s also the time of year that the yearlings are on their own for the first time."
Halifax RCMP and the department issued a warning Tuesday after citizens reported three bear sightings in an area near Hammonds Plains on Monday. The reports came from Blue Forest Lane, Thyme Lane and Royal Oaks Crescent just south of Hammonds Plains Road near the Kingswood subdivision.
There were earlier sightings in Hubley, Porters Lake and near Bedford’s Hemlock Ravine Park.
Costelo said the bruins can be ruined by exposure to humans and their garbage or other food sources.
"The less bears have to do with people, the better it is for bears."
She said the bears only want to eat, not to mess with people.
"There’s never been a bear attack in Nova Scotia."
Still, she said anyone who spots a bear should quietly back away from the animal.
"Make sure the bear is given lots of room."
Natural Resources staff have been leaving pamphlets at homes near some recent bear sightings.
The pamphlet advises people to remove objects that could attract bears, who can smell food from a kilometre away. Problem spots include green carts, garbage containers, garden compost, bird feeders, barbecues, pet-food bowls and fruit trees.

A bear will only be trapped and removed to a remote spot once, Costelo said. They are drugged and tagged before being released and any that are caught again are killed, she said.
More information is available at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/bear.
( darsenault@herald.ca)
At first glance, the link is chock full of sensible information ... in true DNR style the Bear info has been very recently updated and hopefully won't be revised again soon to justify some sort of cull as it was with the coyotes.
At first glance there is nothing hinky ... until one clicks on the  Bear nuisance fact sheet link on the bottom of the "how to avoid problems with Bears" sheet
At first glance there is nothing odd there either .... right up until one gets to the bottom of page 7 where the "if you see bear" suggestions are. 
Mind you, after DNR pushed through the coyote cull in the face of opposition from every group, including the NS Hunters and Trappers association, I shouldn't be surprised at anything
Still .. I nearly fell out of my chair when I read the tidbit" A dog tied in the yard is a good early warning detection system ...."  
Seriously?  
They can say something like that and fail to mention some of the critical bits ... like Never Get between a mother bear and her cubs?
What time is it?  Its way past time for some common sense at DNR, eh?