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Black Bear Encounter (at a Distance)
A couple of weeks ago my son and I were out for an evening stroll with our 2 Pups, Minnie and Crispens. It was an evening walk, the temperature finally cooling down after a hot July day in the mountains. The Magic Zoo was taking a much-deserved break.
We really were not looking for any excitement.
But maybe 150 yards ahead and on the left side of our dirt road, we saw a black blob, almost unrecognizable at first. But what was it? A javalena? A porcupine? Some kind of animal. Definitely not a shadow. At that distance, it was a little hard to determine.
My son, a smart guy whose eyes work better than mine, compared the distance the animal was from the foliage at the side of the road, and calculated the size of this unknown beast. It was most definitely a bear, and not a particularly small one, either.
About this time, the two dogs got intensely interested, straining at their leashes, desperate to investigate. Crispens, (the little but mighty pooch) has a habit of slipping out of her collar at particularly exciting times- so we had a good grip on her. She actually grabbed hold of her leash in her mouth, trying to pull us dense humans forward to investigate along with her.
It was a struggle to get our little party turned around but of course we did. Our intention not to be part of a bear encounter was just a bit stronger than the dogs’ intention to “engage” was.
This Juniper Tree was the Only Casualty
A couple days later and on another walk, we found this poor juniper tree, the only victim of the bear in our neighborhood that we know of. Bears love the inner bark of the trees, enjoying the nutrient-rich sap inside. And as a side benefit, he may have used it to help him climb over the fence.
Pretty strong guy!
I actually love living where the big wildlife makes their home. After all, they were here first! But at the same time, kind of happy the black bear skipped visiting our property this time.
What was your most exciting wildlife encounter? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Love from Your Animal Loving Artist,
Merry
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