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Bamboo pickers defy bear attack warnings despite 4 deaths

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Let them go. Bears need to eat too.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

If people are knowingly going into the bears habitat and taking their food, the bears should not be getting shot if they attack. if the bears are encroaching towns and attacking people then it's different. People can be so cruel and so stupid.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I was just talking to my partner about these bear attacks. All of them happen in the mountains at her back step. My partner is very upset with what is the real story behind these neediest deaths and went as far as wanting to placing a ban on harvesting from the mountain during these months. I replied, that is a bit harsh. Then she told me that they are harvesting to sell. They are getting Y13,000 for a 40 kg bag. They are supplementing their pension because IT NOT ENOUGH. So government cloud the truth and portraits these poor pensioner as foolish old people. Instead of telling the truth that over the last 2 decades the pension was never adjusted to suiting increasing cost condition.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

As all the deaths were of people over 60, we should perhaps consider that some people took the wise precaution of only venturing into the woods with someone who is slower than themselves. Be suspicious when your kids suggest a takenoko outing.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The idea that humans shouldn't go into the wilderness because there are bears is someone who lives a fear-based life style. Bears almost always avoid humans. Thousands of people go out in the forests every day all over the world in bear areas, and 99.99999% of them return without problem. I've seen bears - they usually run away when they see (well smell) humans.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I was just talking to my partner about these bear attacks. All of them happen in the mountains at her back step. My partner is very upset with these neediest deaths and went as far as wanting to placing a ban on harvesting from the mountain during these months. I replied, that is a bit harsh. Then she told me that they are harvesting to sell. They are getting Y13,000 for a 40 kg bag.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Well, don't expect to be rescued, then, I say. Also, don't kill the bears to avoid attacks on stupid people -- it's the bears' natural habitat, and the people have been warned. Why should the bears suffer?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The forests are shrinking, the bear population is growing due to lack of hunters and their greying population. This all amounts to more bear attacks.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Having spent a considerable amount of time in the forests of Canada, I wouldn't go into a known bear habitat without effective self-defense (large caliber handgun). Since that isn't possible, it would be wise to stay out of a known bear habitat.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

13000 yen for 40kg paid to the picker who only has to snap them off at ground level is pretty good money by sansai standards. The vast majority of pickers will not gather anything like 40kg at a time of course. The ones featured on the news didn't look capable or equipped to carry very much.

Regular take-no-ko have to be dug out, which can be back breaking, and the pay for them is a pittance. Other sansai like tara-no-me buds are gathered by bending over just about the thorniest tree you'll ever encounter. Snapping something off at ground level is as easy as it comes. Tohoku is famous for apples and they are grown with huge amounts of labour. These sansai must seem like easy pickings by comparison.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Let them go. Bears need to eat too.

I agree. Just a long as people don't expect the hunters to out and kill a bear each time some idiot gets eaten.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you are getting food in bear country (fishing, hunting, bamboo shoot gathering, etc), you are carrying food that the opportunistic bear might also want to eat. Some people don't like to give up their precious food to the bear and try to protect their food or harvested items. All the outdoor instructions I have read said not to feed wildlife, but if big wildlife want to take your lunch or dinner, let it go!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You would think 4 deaths would give people pause for thought at least.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Maybe the sequel to The Revenant will be filmed in Japan without any CGI whatsoever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The people who continue to go into the woods have probably done so at this time of year as long as they can remember. More than anything, it's probably a ritual that connects them with their youth and folks who have gone before. Good on the local officials for getting the word out about the dangers, though.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why are we so dumb?

No reason to kill the bears.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sounds like a rogue bear, not a new trend.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When they are not conformists, the Japanese lack common sense, apparently.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If these old fools want to compete with the bears for food that's up to them, but they shouldn't complain if they get mauled in the process. They know the risks and choose to ignore them.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Scrote,

You might find John-San's earlier post illuminating:

"They are getting Y13,000 for a 40 kg bag."

The rural parts of Tohoku, and that's most of the place, are very poor. People join the SDF in order to get a driving licence. People make money driving snowplows in winter - and if there's too little snow they can get pushed to the edge. Mountain vegetables are major earners.

Most of these "old fools" are not seeking to compete with bears - they're trying to survive.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't they have other things to eat?? Their life must be more valuable then 13000 yen???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Getting mauled by a bear must be pretty high on the 'most awful way to die' list.

I think it was a friend of the 'grizzly man' who listened to the actual mauling of his mate and said it was particularly gruesome. 'never to be released' tape if i remember well.

Those bamboo shoots must be pretty good.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Well, likely the warnings are no longer that relevant. I don't know all the facts but the hunt should have been actively pursued after the first attack. Once a predator, like a bear, tiger, lion, etc becomes a man eater they often stay that way. If this bear is now dead, regular precautions are fine. I, along with millions of others, have hiked and camped in bear and mountain lion territory. 8 deaths in 40 years is not a good reason to abandon the outdoors. The street outside the house is statistically far more dangerous. Some perspective people!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Seems like because of the victims are all over 60s, people just don't care. Sometimes I feel like Japanese are not as nice as what I thought. At least in my country, if they saw old people in trouble, they always help. Imagine if the old people is our grandpa or grandma, or even our parents. I feel I love them and I don't like the bear eat them.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Not surprised at all. Common sense is all too often lacking in Japan. Oh, and bears are kawaii.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

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