Note: The photographer of the photo in my main image is, Geoff Brooks, and posted on Unsplash.com.
Before I begin sharing this adventure, I want to take a moment and assure everyone that I would never deliberately endanger a bear, myself, my family, or my dogs! I do not leave garbage or anything that might be interpreted as food out and ultimately attract a bear. The location of this house happens to be in an area that wildlife frequently visits. I was a safe distance from the bear the entire time. The bear was ground level, and I was on the deck. There were 15+ feet safely separating us.
Please remember that all bears are wild animals, and they deserve our respect.
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Around midnight one of my remote cameras reported motion and recorded this video of a black bear casually walking through the backyard . At first, I thought it might be Rose, and I didn’t see her cub, so I was very concerned.
In the morning, I pulled all of the memory cards from my field cameras and double-checked the remote access cameras. Regrettably, I realized that I missed the photographs I expected of the bear. I don’t know if it’s because of the position of the cameras or the shutter speed? I have so more to learn. Each field camera has video capabilities, but I typically don’t use that feature because it drains the batteries so quickly.
After pulling the memory cards from the field cameras, I also spent time looking for tracks. I possibly found some tracks on the game trail, but the ground was parched and did not provide a clear image. Could be just wishful thinking.
Later on, while I was sorting through all of the field camera photos, there was a motion alert from one of my remote cameras. A quick preview revealed a bear. I excitedly uttered, “Oh my God, there is a bear outside right now!”
I have two videos from slightly different angles of the bear. In each video, you can see that something caught the bear’s attention in the bushes, which slowed his/her progress in front of the house.
At the end of this video, you can hear my failed efforts to both open the door quietly and walk out onto the deck quietly.
I grabbed my iPhone and tiptoed outside onto the deck. The bear was aware of every step, but it did not run away. Instead, I looked over the railing directly into the eyes of a wild Black Bear. When our eyes met, it was awesome! The little kid in me was so excited; I was looking into this beautiful bear’s eyes! I doubt that the bear was excited to see me; it was assessing the situation to determine if I was dangerous.
I know that you are wondering if I had the presense of mind to take a picture of the bear’s face? No, I just stood there taking mental pictures.
I’ve heard conflicting reports concerning bear encounters. One opinion states that when you encounter a bear, you should stand up tall and behave aggressively to scare it away. The second opinion counters by saying that you should speak very softly, so the bear does not perceive you as a threat. I went with my gut instinct, and I proceeded to talk to the bear as if it were a puppy. I said, “Hi, honey.” The bear looked at me, wriggled its nose, and moved to a nearby tree after a few seconds. The bear stood up on its hind legs and proceeded to scratch its back on the tree trunk and bat at the lower branches. I think it was assessing my intent from a safe distance.
Finally, the bear gave me a backward glance and moved toward and down the game trail.
I was beyond excited! Since I began my bear project, I’ve continued to set the bar higher and higher, and I ultimately hoped to see a black bear up-close-and-personal rather than just a photograph. But realistically, I did not think it was possible. I just did!
This bear was very dark in color and had a white patch on its chest. The cinnamon-colored bear was much larger. Therefore, I think this bear was a juvenile, and I also believe this is the bear that walked through the backyard at midnight.
Great story with my morning cup of Coffee. I felt like I was right there with you!
Thank you, Marianne!
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