It was just a small bear, strolling down the trail towards us, but only 15 or 20 feet away when it finally got scared and ran off into the woods. I was just about to get a better picture, when it darted off. This one is cropped to speed up the upload. As always, internet is slow at these places. I may or may not be able to log in again before I get home. I am at Waterton Lakes Park, Alberta.
R i i i ght! And a Peterbilt is just a small truck. In the past you've said that you always hike with a guide. What were your intentions had the bear continued towards you? [HINT: to escape a bear you only have to be to run faster than the other guy ]
jayman, you are incorrigible. Daniel, cute bear. Thanks for keeping your distance. Don't pick up any little bears you see, either.
The best photos come from feeding them by holding a cookie in your teeth. Black bears really go for that. Tom
Exactly! Naw, I'd be willing to try that stunt myself. Of course, I'd make sure I was part of a large tour group of very large, very slow people who would probably be far tastier than I would be I used to always have black bears hanginjg around the cabin I used to have. At first I cowered in fear, then I just casually walked right by them. After awhile, we got used to each other
We are advised to wear bells while hiking, to warn bears of our approach. Some refer to those as 'dinner bells'
You haven't heard that joke? At the entrance to some hiking trails in BC, there's a big sign about bears. It describes safe behaviour in bear country, advises people to carry pepper spray, and describes how to recognise types of bears by their scat. For instance, brown bear scat is full of raspberry seeds, and grizzly bear scat smells like pepper and has little bells in it.
That is just a little too close for comfort. Being a city boy I have never seen a bear that close except at the zoo. However, a funny little story. I used to have a country house in the Poconos (NE Penn). I was shining my Prius in my driveway and I felt a presence. Right behind me was a little deer looking for food. In the community I lived in they were not hunted and people always fed them so they were not afraid. I went in an got some cinnamon toast crunch cereal and she loved it. Then I continued to clean my Prius and she then brought over her friends. I have to find that photo because you guys would not believe how many friends came over. I think I counted over twenty!!!!!!!
I'd fear moose over black bears myself. You do know if you maintain your composure you can silently communicate with moose? I got myself out of a potentially deadly moose encounter this way. Now griz...yep, you can tell griz are in the area by the little bells in their scat.
When Moose are in rut, they are downright dangerous. I've seen the bulls rush stopped cars on the highway, they must have somehow thought with their peabrain that the car would attempt to mate with the cow
Not that bastard! Is such a shame that we don't have bears here, I'd love a close encounter like that. All I get in my back yard is these god awful ugly birds.
Pat, feel free to visit me in summer. I doubt you'd like our winters, and the bears are smart enough to hibernate during winter anyway. I need to learn that trick. But its easy to spot black bears around here in summer
From Urban Dictionary: Urban Dictionary: bearpocalypse 1. bearpocalypse The day, as prophesied by the noted clairvoyant, Urstradamus, when bears will rise from their underground metropolis and destroy human civilization once and for all. According to prophecy none will be spared but the reverent. The bearpocalypse is nigh! Repent or don't; either way you're going to be mauled to death, pitiful biped.
