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BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear!
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Subject: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: GUEST,Rick from Sunny Ochs' place Date: 09 Nov 02 - 11:06 AM What a treat it is to stay here deep in the woods of New York State. You'd hardly think that this kind of scenery exists outide of areas more famous for their forests. Sunny's hospitality has always been unmatched, and the feeling that I get after driving (ever so carefully) down the tiny winding bumpy little road....with thick brush and trees brushing the car....and then seeing a curl of smoke coming up from the chimney of her house....well it sure feels like a home away from home. Last night she was telling us about a local visitor who'd rumble around at night, knocking things over, raiding bird feeders and generally making himself a nuisance. Sounded fascinating. About two hours later as we were just drifting off to sleep I heard some very loud noises and wasn't sure where they were coming from. Thought it might be someone else in the house moving around (Atlanta songwriter Carolyn Aitken is also staying the night). Heather and I were about two feet from the big picture window/door. I looked out in the darkness, but didn't see anything. It was only in the morning that we saw that the local black bear had been up on the porch and was obviously hungry. He'd made a mess of the bird feeder and had obviously been staring in at us. It's a good thing Heather didn't wake up.....I doubt if there are too many bears in Glasgow, and she may have ran right THROUGH the glass!! This is my second 'wildlife' thread in a month......strange. Any good wild animal stoties? Rick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: leprechaun Date: 09 Nov 02 - 11:30 AM Bear meat tends to be a bit greasy. But you can make good thuringer or pepperoni out of it. If you can save the gall bladder, you might find somebody who can make medicine out of it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Alice Date: 09 Nov 02 - 11:35 AM Wildlife all around us here, Rick. Bear quite often come into neighborhoods on the edge of town. All bird feeders, dog food, ripe fruit, etc. should be taken in during seasons when bears come looking for such food. Hummingbird feeders can attract them, too. Better to plant red trumpet shaped flowers for the hummingbirds. Alice in Montana |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Genie Date: 09 Nov 02 - 12:09 PM Rick, that bear probably just wanted to waltz with you guys! Genie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: The Shambles Date: 09 Nov 02 - 12:10 PM Bear encounters As for coming across bears in Glasgow. Construction workers in the offshore oil industry in Scotland were referred to, affectionately by production workers, as 'bears'........... Not very often to their faces. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: greg stephens Date: 09 Nov 02 - 01:14 PM Sorrry, only dropped in because I thought from the title it was a John from Hull thread |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Bert Date: 09 Nov 02 - 01:57 PM Not bears, but we've been seeing foxes here in Colorado Springs. Just trotting around the city as though they owned the place. Hmmm, on second thoughts, perhaps they do. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Glen Reid Date: 09 Nov 02 - 02:31 PM About a year ago, one evening just about dusk, I was driving home on the dirt road that leads to my home,when out of the woods came a black bear, running full tilt. Needless to say he didnt see me, nor I him, till the moment of impact. I had been traveling at about 40 mph and he hit me at a right angle to my vehicle, caving in the passenger door. I would estimate this to be a mature animal of about 300-350 lbs.judging by the fact that I was nearly blown off the road by the impact and instinctivly I checked my rearview mirror,seeing this critter doing cartwheels down the road. I stopped and backed up to see if it was mortally wounded(from the safty of my car)but it was gone, probably nursing one hell of a headache. The damage to the car was over $1200 and I had $300 deductable and I was told ,most certanly my insurance would go up if I had put it through. Therfore I didnt, however It was suggested by the insurance agent that I could try billing the Provincial government for my loss, as this was indeed one of their, so called nuisance bears. I tried, but their responce was a formally worded "nice try, fat chance, have a nice day, HA HA". So if you are travelling through Northern Ontario, in the Burk's Falls region. Beware the bears! Cheers Glen |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: SINSULL Date: 09 Nov 02 - 03:06 PM No bears in Portland but I do have some friendly groundhogs who share the property with my cats, all sunning together. A few weeks ago, I left a plate of food for the local strays. When I turned on the porch light to see who was eating, I found two cats and a skunk happily enjoying the treat. AllanC's Dad had an interesting encounter with a bear but I will leave the telling to him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Big Mick Date: 09 Nov 02 - 03:44 PM Ever been to Estes Park in Colorado? Driving up there to a shop where we had strike preparations on, I saw both a Bighorn Sheep Ram, and several of the Mountain Goats. I am told that the latter are rarely seen. I get to the town, get out of my car, and stare directly into the face of a full grown Elk. Looking around, there are 6 of them in the parking lot. Walking around the town, they are grazing in the yards. On the way back down to Denver, about 3 to 5 miles east of Estes Park, I come around the curve to a mountain draw leading down out of the mountains and there was a herd of them that numbered in the hundreds just walking and grazing on the other side of the fence. I got out the video camera and shot footage and sent it to my brother in law who has spent several thousand dollars on hunting trips in Idaho, not to mention several thousand more on guns, scopes, etc, to get an elk. I told him to sell all that, buy a good Buck knife and a bicycle and come up and get one. I won't tell you his response other than to say that involved subjects covered by decent folks in biology and sex ed. Come to think of it, you would have to study gymnastics or Yoga to complete his suggestions. Mick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Nov 02 - 04:15 PM I have encountered a rampant hamster on several occasions. Waugh! I have also seen a family of foxes in back of the lumberyard a few times, sometimes before they saw me. Very pretty creatures. Met some deer in the woods too. They took off fast. Probably thought I was hunting. Then there's the neighbours' cat. He is trying to expand his territory to include our 8 acres of forest, and is convinced that I have designs on his little life. Most amusing to see those big eyes pop, and his fur and tail go all bushy as he flees madly through the underbrush. - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: mack/misophist Date: 09 Nov 02 - 09:37 PM DO NOT MESS WITH BEARS! BEARS CAN RUN VERY FAST! ONLY TERROR IS LIKELY TO MAKE A HUMAN FASTER! So don't do it. I wouldn't be here if that bear had been a better tree climber. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: mg Date: 09 Nov 02 - 09:45 PM There are a lot of black bears near where I live and work...I saw one crossing the road one day, and then another day recently a car was stopped and said they had just hit a bear and he ran into the woods..we see lots of deer..they have been on my front lawn..what scares me because I walk a dark lonely road at night is there have been cougar sightings and those are not friendly animals. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Jeri Date: 09 Nov 02 - 10:10 PM I had a squirrel living in my attic, a chipmunk living under my porch, a family of birds about 4' off the ground in a bush thing by the porch, a family of turkeys that lived in the woods out back and occasionally wandered around in my driveway, and deer like to lie down in my back yard until people turn their lights out, then cruise across the street and get hammered on fermented ground-fall apples. I encountered a baby moose driving (I was driving, not the moose) home at night who stood on the road and looked at me for a while, then seemed to say telepathically "uh...hmmm...duuuuh...HOLYSHIT!) and run away...down the middle of the road. I've seen foxes, skunks, raccoons, a big-ass barred owl (I LOVE hearing them at night: "who-cooks-for-YOU") and there are some guys with motorcycles and leather and and tattoos and stuff living down the road a bit. I haven't met a bear yet. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 09 Nov 02 - 10:28 PM No bears around here. I don't suppose late-night encounters with possums or armadillos qualify as life-threatening, do they? However, a couple of years ago, some hunters lost one of their hunting hounds just a couple of miles from where we live. The dog was wearing a collar with a radio transponder and the hunters were still receiving a signal from the collar. Finally, they were able to track the signal down, only to discover that it was coming from a twelve-foot alligator! The gator had eaten their dog and swallowed the collar, which was still sending its signal. They contacted the wildlife department which determined that the gator would have to be killed. They reasoned that since its den was very close to a well-worn game trail, it would only be a matter of time before it attacked a human who was following the same path. When they opened up the gator's stomach they found the remains of at least a dozen other non-digested nylon dog collars! Bruce |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 09 Nov 02 - 11:07 PM I used to do a LOT of hiking in the Olympic Moutains, in Washington State. I've know for a long time that the black bear and I have always had an affinity. In fact, I lost my hiking partner because of this closeness. She stopped hiking with me because every other trip we had very close bear encounters. They have never frightened me, nor me them. In fact, I once had a wonderful 15 minute conversation with one, as a distraction, while my ex hiking partner ran for her life. Silly person! Oh, and Mary, I've also had two face to face encounters with cougars in the wild. In both cases, they were as curious of me as I them. Nothing to fear. Quite wonderful, really. CHEERS, Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Mudlark Date: 10 Nov 02 - 02:15 AM No bears here, tho every once in a while they are sighted in the mountans nearby. But for the past few weeks the coyotes have been hollering from what sounds like right across the road...and there is a strange cry coming from the river late at night that I'm pretty sure is a wild cat. I hope the 2 day rain we've just had will ease the stress of a 9-mo. drought on the wild things. I know they have to be desperate to come so close. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Willie-O Date: 10 Nov 02 - 09:58 AM Bears are pretty common this year. I've seen one on my commute into Ottawa, and just missed seeing one just down the hill from my house last summer (we have a trout stream which is a wildlife corridor, they all come along sooner or later), a fisherman told me about it. Someone saw a cougar outside her new house just a few miles down the road last week. We're talking eastern cougar here. Last local sighting I've heard about was 1974 when an old trapper I know says he shot one. W-O |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Julia Date: 10 Nov 02 - 10:45 AM Well, now you need to come to Maine for an encounter with a "wee moose" My partner Fred has made a song about a Scot and a "moose" Enjoy! Julia The Moose Song Fred Gosbee / Castlebay Music There lived in bonny Scotland a old man named MacDougall Who could play Annie Laurie on the bagpipe, harp or bugle His second cousin, Ben, (twice removed, on mother''s side) Come one time to visit for a week at Whitsuntide This Ben came from America, a little place called Maine Where they have six months of snow and ice instead of fog and rain And when Ben had drunk a pint or two and his tongue was getting loose He'd tell the Scotsman stories about how they hunt the moose The moose, the moose, it's how they hunt the moose He'd tell the Scotsman stories about how they hunt the moose "We shoot one in the autumn when the leaves are off the trees Haul it out with a tractor and then pack the meat to freeze." MacDougall cries "I've heard enuf! I'll gang along wi' you Tae see gin this American mouse can make a daicent stew" All his friends and neighbors, there was nothing they could sat He travelled to America before the end of May When he got to Maine he said "Noo, dinnae think me deuce But gin you wud 'nae mind I want tae see this American "moose" The moose the moose, to see the American moose Gin you wud 'nae mind I want tae see this American "moose" "That could be dangerous, my friend, for this is time of the year When they protect their young, you know, the cows are very fierce" But the Scot was not disuaded, he would see one if he could So early the next morning they both set out through the wood They hiked for several hours before they saw a sign. There were tracks as big as dinner plates there beneath the pine. And then, right there before them, and before a word was said Was a beastie like a Clydesdale but with antlers on his head His head, his head, he had antlers on his head A beastie like a Clydesdale but with antlers on his head "There's your moose!" cried Ben , but the Scot could not be seen He was legging it with all his might right back the way they'd been "Thank ye, Ben," MacDougall cried just as he lost his hat "Gin that's a "moose" I dinna think I want tae see the cat!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: GUEST,Fred Miller Date: 10 Nov 02 - 11:28 AM Like most things in life, I have a hypothesis about dealing with bears, made out of the trivia dust-bunnies in my head. The U.S. Fed Wildlife people advise us to play dead. The bear can outrun you, and is very dangerous. Roll into a ball. Bears don't eat fresh kill. That's the advice. But it's hard advice to take--most of us, if we are going to be killed by a bear, would rather go down fighting. I read somewhere that human biology doesn't know how to account for the areola, the ring around the nipples--it doesn't serve any clear purpose. The most plausible idea is that it's one of nature's illusions, making the torso resemble the face of a much larger beast. So, a better strategy is to lift or tear open your shirt, talk in a deep voice while moving your navel in synch with phrases like "I'm getting ANGRY!! You haven't seen the rest of me yet! I'm Huge!! Ha!! You and what army?!" Or maybe "Ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well? Do you, punk?!" Try not to move your lips. Wild cats--fight them. That's the official line. I'm not sure, but I think you should lead with a right, like Ali vs. Foreman. The cat doesn't expect it, and is demoralized, losing it's cool. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Little Hawk Date: 10 Nov 02 - 11:41 AM What they say around here is that with grizzlies, if they attack, either climb a tree FAST or play dead if you can't and don't fight back. They say with black bears to fight back, on the other hand, because apparently the black bear (if he attacks) does tend to eat part of a fresh "kill", which won't work too well for you if you are trying to play dead. That's what they say. My feeling is that most people will act according to their own instincts, should they be so unfortunate as to get attacked by a bear. A Canadian top athlete, a runner, was killed by a black bear in Eastern Ontario a couple of years back. She was running on a forest trail, and the bear took after her, but her on the back of the neck, and killed her. Unusual, but it can happen. Dogs will also tend to attack a runner or a person on a bicycle, as I think most of us have discovered at one time or another. It awakens their "pursuit" instinct. - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: leprechaun Date: 10 Nov 02 - 12:05 PM And all this time we thought tits on man were useless! Now all I need is sharp teeth protruding from my navel. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 10 Nov 02 - 01:23 PM I've heard that hikers in bear country should wear cowbells to let the bears know they are in the area. They should also learn to tell the difference between black bear spoor and grizzly bear spoor. The difference is that black bear turds are mostly undigested berry seeds. Grizzly bear turds are mostly large bones and cowbells. Yeh, I heard it on PHC's joke show a few years ago. So sue me. Bruce |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 10 Nov 02 - 01:50 PM This thread reminded me of another very funny bear encounter. I am a builder, and several years ago I was building a cabin for a family. We were way out in the woods, a couple of hours North of seattle. As we were about ten miles beyond the nearest electricity, we had to work with a very noisy, gasoline generator. The first day, I made a plywood "noise box" to house the generator, and aimed the sound away from us and toward the woods. For the first two days, things were fine. On the third day I arrived and went to start the generator. Imagine my surprise when I found a very large pile of black bear poop right in front of the generator house. And it was still steaming! I think the bear was trying to tell us something! CHEERS, Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Little Hawk Date: 10 Nov 02 - 03:18 PM I can sympathize with that bear entirely... - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Mudlark Date: 10 Nov 02 - 05:41 PM Great song, Julia...great stories, everybody. Thanks for some good reading. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Sonnet Date: 10 Nov 02 - 05:55 PM Living in S.Yorkshire, England,the nearest I'll ever get to a bear are the teddy bears I collect. I've read all of these contributions with delight, fascination and awe. To think that I get excited when we're visited by hedgehogs. Jay |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: gnu Date: 10 Nov 02 - 07:09 PM Just the other night one of the black bears living near my trailer (one young boar, one old and large boar, and a sow and cub) was sniffing at the window about two feet from my bunk. When I opened the curtain, it pressed it's nose against the window and closed it. I let out a roar and it made tracks. When I went out to make sure it was gone, I discovered a number of claw marks under the windows in two sides of the trailer. The next day, about 1500m away, a hunter was charged by the large boar (in his estimation, anyway) after repeated warnings and warning shots and had to fire at it with a small calbre rifle, 22-250, twice, before it broke off it's attack. Very unfortunate, but I'm just glad I didn't encounter this particular bear on a midnight walk to the outhouse. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 10 Nov 02 - 08:04 PM gnu ... where do you live? Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: GUEST,Boab Date: 10 Nov 02 - 10:05 PM Misophist---you sure are some tree-climber if you can enter a race against a black bear!! Harmless beasties, in the main--unless you insist that destruction of that part of your property that attracts them makes them "dangerous'. I live among them---literally. Over something like a five year period I have had an apple tree wrecked, a plum tree bashed around, all of my espaliered -[sp?] berry bushes flattened, and my trash can chewed to plastic shreds. I had a somewhat comedic contretemps with a gear cub once in which [picture the tableau!] the wee black rascal was persistent in its efforts to prise open the lid of the trashcan, and I was just as determinedly holding it down! It had obviously realised that this particular human was harmless. Its Ma must have co\me to the same conclusion, for she went on unconcernedly nosing around the woodpile about five yards away. The young-un finally gave up when its Ma lost interest and ambled off down the driveway. I'm fairly sure that it was this same cub that I encountered two or three years later when I rounded the corner of my house to see what the hell my dog, Ruby, was barking about. I all but collided with the beastie, near put my underwear into a soggy state---it seemed about the size of a Clydesdale horse.[ They do get to seem that size when you suddenly and unexpectedly get to be close enough to feel their breath!] "Harmless" or not---I went clockwise around that building like an olympian on the final leg of the 4*100 relay. On completing the circuit, I had a view of our Ruby [Rottweiller/Shepherd cross]prancing and snarling around the bear, which was ambling off to the "bush" in a leisurely style, pretending that she didn't even know that Ruby was there at all. Only once did I ever phone the Wildlife 0fficer; he told me that all efforts to habilitate the bears to a faraway habitat had ended in failure and the only way was to destroy them I said "Forget it!" And I'm pleased to say that this must be the reaction of most of my neighbours in the area, too. By the way --don't listen to the wise lads who tell you to jump up and down and make a lot of noise when you meet a bear. After you have met is too late---they seem to think that here is some form of entertainment, and are quite liable to just hang around and watch with interest! I know---I've tried it----. Cougars----aaargh! ---sneaky buggers! I've lived for eleven years among the highest density of cougar population in the World--and I've NEVER SEEN ONE. One thing I know for sure though ;THEY have seen ME.Now if you meet one of THESE beasties , that's the time to pick up a club, throw a rock, yell your head off and wish that you hadn't been so anti-gun all your life!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 10 Nov 02 - 10:18 PM I've always felt that the mentality of black bears ... notice that I did NOT say BROWN bears or GRIZZILY bears, was much that of a pig. Delightlful creatures. You frighten them, corner them, they react! You run from them, they run with you and almost say, "Hey, this is fun. What are we running from?" When we continue to move into their home areas, meaning the woods, and we build our houses, it's no wonder we have increasing meetings. Cougars are another thing altogether. But, having said that about cougers, I am very pleased to know that I did save a cougars life once. Of that I'm very proud. CHEERS, Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: mg Date: 11 Nov 02 - 12:16 AM I haven't heard of bad encounters with bears down here..they are mostly garbage scavengers...but there was a cougar attack somewhere recently in SW Washington that was quite bad..we have rules about garbage cans here having to be a certain type and you can get a bad fine for garbage strewn around. I did see a dead seal on the beach today speaking of wildlife...and someone saw about 30 rabbits crossing one of the roads..I have never seen a rabbit here although Vancouver was just full of them..that is as in Ft. Vancouver, Washington. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: GUEST,Anahootz w/no cookie Date: 11 Nov 02 - 12:38 AM Bears are a fact of life here. My wife and I have recently been having trouble with a sub-adult that insists upon trying to eat everything in the yard. He recently succeeded in popping the lock on out outdoor chest freezer and made off with 5lbs of mooseburger and 6 lbs of chicken breasts in less time than it takes to read this. Instead of Hightailing it, he sat right outside the front door, munching away on his "popsicles"...drove the dog nuts. I finally had to take a shot at him with the airgun, as standing (while in my boxers, mind you) 12-15 ft. away and yelling at him wasn't working. Scratched hell out of the freezer trying to open it, ruptured the doorseal too. About 7 or 8 times this year we have had bears peering in the living-room window, foggin' it up while they check out the furniture...It is unnerving at first, and they aren't the most predictable critter in their behavior, but - They lived here first. Deal, or move. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 11 Nov 02 - 04:11 AM Hey Mary, as I recall, just a couple of hours up the road from you they have the Annual Bear Festival at Elma. I remember you used to be able to get a bowl of Bear Stew (as well as some homebrew) but I don't know if the State put a stop to that or not. I know they still frown about the moonshine ... spoilsports! CHEERS, Bob |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: gnu Date: 11 Nov 02 - 06:35 AM I live in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. I camp in Kent County, about one hour pavement and a half an hour to an hour dirt road, depending on it's condition... there was a foot of snow on it last week but the forecast for today is risk of thunderstorms and 19C. The rest of the week is forcast mostly rain, which means that, by weekend, it could be an hour and a half by dirt road... maybe even days waiting for the last stretch to freeze if it gets too bad. I park my trailer just about as far back as you can haul one with a 4X4. Most of the other hunters I see are on ATC's and there's not too many of them. I only hunt partridge (ruffed grouse) and I limit my take to what I need for the trip. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Mooh Date: 11 Nov 02 - 06:57 AM We've got black bears up in the Bruce which like to scavenge our trash and nose about at night freaking out household pets. Last summer one had some fun rolling a municipal trash barrel around, then came over our 5 foot fence, knocked over the woodpile, tossed our garbage around, and then unceremoniously crapped on the road. A couple of years ago I saw one wander down to the shore of Georgian Bay for a drink. From my vantage point in a canoe it looked like a big Mama but I didn't spot any cubs nearby. When I worked for a summer in northern Ontario in the 70s black bears were everywhere, picking blueberries next to camp, jostling with us for occupation rights at garbage dumps, sitting in the road blocking traffic, and generally asserting their natural right to own nature. I was twice between mother and cub but made it to a safe vehicle before having to defend myself. We were always armed with brush-axes back then but never had to use them. Last summer while out for a bike ride with Rosie the wonder dog (she runs beside me), she stopped dead and refused to move because of the scent of fresh bear scat on the road. There was still steam rising off it. Bears are beautiful creatures and man has fucked their homes. Give them lots of space. We have fouled our nests and those of all other animals. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: InOBU Date: 11 Nov 02 - 07:02 AM I had a group of law studednts and native activists looking into civil rights violations against the Innue in Canada. One of Genie and my native friends, who is a New Yorker, so she is not THAT used to the whole living in the woods Indian steriotype is asleep in her tent. SOmeone, she thinks pushes the tent flap asside and she sits up. She is looking right into the face of a smallish black bear. Her eye brows go up, and in unison she sees the little beige eyebrows on the bear go up and he goes galloping into the forrest as scared as she was. She was thinking BEAR!!!! He was thinking HUMAN!!!! Cheers Larry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 11 Nov 02 - 08:14 AM Like Sonnet, the nearest I come to bears is the teddies I collect, but I do have a fair bit of a wall covered with pictures of polar bears, brown bears, sun bears ... lots of bears. I appreciate the stories of the close encounters but I'm glad our wildlife here (inner city) is smaller. sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Nov 02 - 10:33 AM Bob, I love your story about building the cabin and your generator. Where was that? I always thought that having a place up in Silverton would be great. Friends who have lived there remark on how quiet it is, and how you can really make due with a lot less electricity than you might think. Even though it is a rainforest up there, you could still get some benefit from solar panels. Used to see bears fairly often as a forester and park ranger. During the regular camping season I always left a couple of mangled coolers stilling outside the ranger kiosk at Colonial Creek Campground (North Cascades Natl. Park, Washington State) to show people what would happen if they didn't lock their coolers in their trunks when they weren't using them. Once bear hunting season came around, I got rid of any such materials. I used to pick up around our campground garbage and found that they particularly liked canteloupe--I'd find the scrapings of their little front teeth inside the rinds. They didn't eat the green part, just the pink. Lots of bear stories, but I have to get to work, so maybe I'll send something later. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Kim C Date: 11 Nov 02 - 11:19 AM We have deer that come into our yard this time of year to eat the pears that fall onto the ground. A couple of weeks ago I walked out the door to go to work, and there were five of them in the yard. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Nose to Nose with a Bear! From: Deckman Date: 11 Nov 02 - 04:18 PM Maggie, I built that cabin up on "Finn Settlment Road," North of Arlington and Bryant. I imagine the road has gone from dirt to blacktop by now, and they probably have electrity also. They call it progress, but I'll bet they lost the bears, cougar and deer in the process. CHEERS, Bob |