Young Black Bear...

[blues]

Sittin' on the porch trying to cool off a bit since the air is out...wife comes out with the dog when I thought I spied something coming down the gravel road towards my walkway. First just assumed it was a person, then a dog, then clearly a young bear.

Somewhere between a young'n and a yearling. Don't know if mama was about. Dog wasn't on her lead so I just kinda ushered her and my wife toward the door and the bear saw the activity and ran across the road toward a neighbor's home.

Hadn't seen (or heard) one lately, almost forgot they were around. (The coyotes and barred owls I hear pretty much nightly.)

I'll keep an eye out tonight when we take our late walk.

[blues]

Nothing at 10 pm on the walk down the forested road and back. Heard some dogs riled up about a quarter mile away or so. Not sure what caused the commotion.

One more walk around midnight.


(Years ago, when I had bird feeders connected and suspended via paracord to trees from the deck, I'd get bears up there fairly regularly looking for a free meal. Best was a little one trying to get into a hummingbird feeder while mama did a balance beam walk along the deck railing trying to rip the line down to get to the big feeder. Haven't had them up in years as a result.)

[blues]

All clear after midnight and nothing this morning. Guess we'll see 'em when we see 'em. Big storm moving in so probably gonna hunker down.

[mtnbkr]

Sounds like an adolescent who was kicked out of mom's house (unlike humans, bears don't allow their young adults to live in the basement forever).

My first real-life-in-the-wilderness bear sighting was in Pisgah, not far from you. Prior, I had seen them frequently in the Smoky Mtns National Park campground, but that place attracts them like flies to honey.

They're getting more numerous here in VA and I've seen more in the last 5 years than the previous 20 years.

Chris

[blues]

Sounds like an adolescent who was kicked out of mom's house (unlike humans, bears don't allow their young adults to live in the basement forever).

My first real-life-in-the-wilderness bear sighting was in Pisgah, not far from you. Prior, I had seen them frequently in the Smoky Mtns National Park campground, but that place attracts them like flies to honey.

They're getting more numerous here in VA and I've seen more in the last 5 years than the previous 20 years.

Chris

I've been around them for most of my life, starting in the Adirondacks and points south, north, (Canada), and out west...CA, AK etc.

I even had one come into my camp in Yosemite in 1975, rummage our packs, (food was nowhere near), and puts its paw on my shoulder as I tried sheltering my cousin who was shaking like a leaf and afraid she was going to be killed. No damage was done but for his huffing some stank into my face. (But it scared the bejeezus out of me.)

When I reported it to the rangers the next day they said they were hunting the bear as it had mauled someone the prior day.

I've only seen one light mauling where a backpacker had some relatively light damage from claws. He was lucky.

Another bear in the Adirondacks came into my camp, climbed a tree, cut the paracord to get the food bag to drop from a long limb over a brook. He ate what he wanted right then, took a dump to add insult to injury and then dragged the bag off with him.

Next day I tracked him and everything was destroyed, including tinned food, but for a baggie of some kind of herbal stuff belonging to one of my trail mates, and a bottle of Jack Daniels. We drank and relied on the kindness of strangers for a couple days afterward. LOL!

[entropy]

Bears always reminded me of mischievous teenagers...opportunists who sometimes run short on the big picture!

Past few years have had a few wandering around up north. Taking a dump on our deck was seemingly the thing to do last summer as I was always greeted by a fresh pile upon my return. There were several, one fairly large for our area (maybe about 300lbs) and the others not so big. I’ve given up on having a rotary feeder for the deer as they don’t last more than a few weeks before they get tipped over and chomped on. I’ve always put a bell on the dog when out hunting or bumming around. Last thing I want is to come around a corner of an old logging road and find a momma and cubs instead of a grouse!

I love watching them though...

[UNK]

All clear after midnight and nothing this morning. Guess we'll see 'em when we see 'em. Big storm moving in so probably gonna hunker down.

So... In retirement you’ve taken up stalking bears....🤔
Don’t be surprised if a Ranger shows up with a restraining order 😂
So exciting I can hardly bear it 😁

[blues]

So... In retirement you’ve taken up stalking bears....🤔
Don’t be surprised if a Ranger shows up with a restraining order 😂
So exciting I can hardly bear it 😁

You should have signed your message "Claude".

FWIW, I only stalk the bare...those clothed hold much less interest. What's the point of becoming a dirty old man, otherwise?

Sincerely,

"Tom"

[Hieronymous]

"Watch yer top knot"

[Darth_Uno]

We have a family of foxes, and a bobcat at/around my house. And yes, I've seen the bobcat with my own eyeballs. Pretty cool. And the usual country variety of of possums, coons, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and groundhogs.

Of course my terriers think every single one is a direct affront to their authoritah. I'd probably pick the terriers in most straight up fisticuffs. And one of them is blind, I'd still bet on her.