You just gotta see these pics

[hearts and roses]

We have this bear that's been visiting us all summer and today he came by midday. I was out walking the little bitz Izzy and my neighbor was chasing him out of his yard and he came into mine!

I got some great shots out our kitchen window. Check it out.

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h285/sugarjo/

 

[busywend]

Oh my! He is HUGE! What do you do? Should you call someone?

 

[donna723]

OMG! That's a BIG one! I'd be afraid to even go outside.

I have friends who live near Ashville, NC and they have bears coming in to their back yard all the time! I really don't think I could handle something like that!

 

[Suz]

Jo, I'm worried for your beloved fuzzbutts. Are they safe with a bear roaming around?

Suz

 

[GoingNorth]

I live in Northern WI and we have a lot of black bears as well. With this one being so large, and with him being habituated to being around human dwellings, it is probably a good idea to contact your local Dept of Nat Resources office and request that the animal be removed.

 

[totoro]

N is sitting here watching the Care Bears and I showed her the picture. She smiled and said she wanted to hug him!
But she also wanted us to try and catch the Coyote "Songdog" walking near us on our walk tonight!
"Why can't he come over here and walk with us?"
Hopefully he goes back into the woods and stays safe.
He sure is beautiful!

 

[Lothlorien]

I agree with the others.....call who you need to call and have this bear hauled away. They will likely just relocate him/her. Keep your garbage inside the garage. Hopefully, if it's a she, there aren't any babies nearby. Things could get really unpleasant.

 

[mstang67chic]

WHAT would possess your neighbor to CHASE a bear out of his yard? And exactly how do you do that without getting eaten?????

OMG....Had I been in the yard when that happened.....there would have been more than doggie poo to scoop.

 

[ThreeShadows]

You just make like a bird, put on your biggest cape and chase it with arms extended. Not! Call Fish and Wildlife. By the way, bear tastes terrible. It puts things in perspective if you think of THEM as food.

 

[hearts and roses]

Omg, last Sunday morning when I took Izzy out early AM, I heard a rumble behind me and there he was, about 20 feet away. I don't know what I was thinking but I actually said, "Hey you! Mr. Bear! Get outta here!" The entire time, Izzy was barking like nuts. The bear just looked at us and went about his business. Suddenly I realized that I was standing about 20 feet away from a very big bear. When I told easy child later, she yelled at me for being so stupid - lol.

After I got Izzy safely inside this morning, I grabbed the camera and I ran back out and tried to get a good shot of him before he entered our yard. Again, what the heck was I thinking, going back out there?? I ran back in and opened the middle window and screen in the kitchen so I could get the shots from in there.

I told H we should call someone and he said not to because they (the bears) are everywhere now. With all the new developments in our area, the bears have been seen more frequently in local neighborhoods. Last year, one was removed from a local mall parking lot! So far, thankfully, no attacks. Everyone is very aware.

Suz, I only get nervous when I take the pups out for their last pee at 11PM. I've been putting them on the leashes just in case I have to drag them quickly inside.

Aside from all that - isn't he just an amazingly beautiful animal?

 

[ThreeShadows]

He is beautiful but he still tastes BAD! Remember, you are the top of the food chain. I don't understand why the "authorities" have not relocated this critter. We had bear in our yard in Maine. They just did not show themselves (much).

 

[Star*]

Jo,

Okay first - ABSOLUTELY gets BRAVEST WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD...and COOLEST WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD...omg I am so envious...and you thought to get a camera??? AWESOME POSSUM!!!! WOW you totally ROCK!!!! LOVE IT!!!

2nd - I agree with your hubby - Mr. Bear stays. The posture he's in though? Um...will tell you this. He's hunting. (sorry - ask any naturalist). Also - sorry to tell you THIS as well - BUT you really ARE in danger because if he smells food in your house - and that nose is like 10,000 times keener than a dogs - he will bust a move in your back door and come in your house to get the food, or the dogs...or whatever. So be VERY mindfull of your garbage. They will come back. They're trying to fatten up for the winter hibernation.

There is a website that you can log onto to report tracking black bears (name escapes me now) but it's very cool and people are really worried that there is a depleting population of black bears in the NE. That's why they created this web site (why can't I think of the name - just google it) but I really hope you post the pictures to them.

Sadly - I think the best thing for Mr. Bear is to call the DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) and at least let them know that he's around BECAUSE - if he's still around by the first snow fall and hasn't found a den or something - he could be very hungry and possibly attack a child or something small to get his fat up before finding a den) You could call a local zoo and ask for someone that deals with bears for advice too. I'm only thinking of any small kids and Mr. Bear. If there is so much construction that he's been pushed out of his natural habitat or his den was destroyed due to construction? He may not have a new den and it's Fall - nearing Winter and now he's upset. See? Someone too HIS home.
He may just need a good realtor to help him relocate. Know what I mean?? Not to hurt -

He's absolutely stunning and you are ABSOLUTELY the bravest woman I know - FIRST Kayaking and now bear taming? And here we've all been thinking a difficult child was so hard on you -pft! Now you're officially changing the wording under your Avatar to - THE BEAR WHISPERER - even if you did yell at him...hahah

 

[Abbey]

Ummm...Jo? That's a a BIG bear. I thought I had nerve trying to chase away a 2 foot tall hawk, but I don't think I'd tackle that bear. I'd be like...ok, eat my plants, I'll toss you out some raw meat through my window, then GO AWAY.

Great pics, though.

Abbey

 

[GoingNorth]

It's actually KINDER to have him removed ASAP. If he gets into the habit of actually raiding dwellings and the like, DNR will simply shoot him. If he's just at the wandering around stage, they'll likely tranquilize him and remove him to an area safe for both him and humans.

Also, female bears will teach their cubs their bad habits.

We had a pair of half-grown cubs up here that had to be shot due to their breaking into homes out in the county.

In nature, bears are omnivores--they eat an awful lot of vegetable matter, grubs and the like, carrion, and do hunt for their own prey as well.

In early spring up here it is very common to see bear gorging themselves on road-kill deer exposed by melting snow.

I have actually eaten bear meat: it tastes like very rank pork and has a greasy, stringy texture. I'd eat it if I had to. I am told that you can smoke it and make a good ham out of it, though I've never had it.

 

[hearts and roses]

Well, seeing as I don't eat red meat anyhow, the bear is out of danger in that regard, lol. I can barely stomach eating chicken!

I spoke with a neighbor today and she said she goes to a website and reports the sighting every time. Nothing.

Once the colder weather hits, they will be gone until next Spring. I'm not worried, really. We're careful and he seems interested in only his own goings on, not us. About twice a month he knocks over our garbage, other wise he just wanders around and attacks bird feeders.

Our dogs are on leashes and all the neighbors keep each other apprised.

The authorities around here do not shoot to kill. They tranquilize and relocate the bears. I wish he didn't look so cuddly!

Thanks for the kudos, Star! I feel so brave. I have this brace on my arm and wrist and H keeps calling me a Super hero - it fits now! LOL

 

[GoingNorth]

Bird feeders are a BIG problem. People still put them up around here, but the DNR really frowns on it.

They do draw bears in--they will eat anything. Our winters are very hard up here and it makes a lot of people happy to feed the birds.

 

[hearts and roses]

Yeah GN, my sister lives nearby and she has video of the bears knocking down and bending her bird feeder poles - walking into the wood with her feeders in their mouths! It's hysterical. She continues to fill her feeders. I have chosen not to do so until winter when the birds really do need our help. Otherwise, in Summer, the bird's food supply is bountiful!

 

[Abbey]

I'm not a meat eater, but I have eaten bear many years ago. A fellow teacher arrowed one and brought back this crock pot stew that he made. I was reluctant, but did taste it and it was wonderful. Now, I'm not going to go out to shoot a bear to get that, but chock that up to an experience.

I can totally understand why you would not want to have them find your house as theirs. I never knew about the bird feeder thing. Geez...I have them all over my yard, but I've not heard of a bear being around.

Our biggest things are hawks, deer, rabbits and squirrels. People around here grow a lot of their own gardens and these guys are not kind to them. Hence...lots of trapping and shooting.

Abbey

 

[Star*]

Dear Bear Whisperer -

Maybe you could email that man in Alaska - Not the Treadwell idiot that was "one with the bear" I know a lot of people liked him but he was an idiot to think he was a bear then got eaten by one. Df said his Dad must have said "Timothy you'll never amount to SH*&" and Timothy set out to prove him wrong and did." - laugh everytime he says that. The bear sadly ate Mr. Treadwell, his girlfriend (although I think it was his girl who was a friend) and then the park rangers shot the bear.

I'm talking about the old dude who lives in the middle of nowhere and the Alaska Dept of Fish and Wildlife found out this man has been having black bears and grizzleys at his little cabin in the woods for nearly 20 years - not bothering anyone - but he feeds them little tid bits and all of a sudden OH NO he's a law breaker, he's wrecking the bears (groan) so they said he has to put a fence up and make the bears go away. This guy walks with them, and pets them and lives among them.

I'm with you though - Leave the bear alone.....except for the fact that if there's been so much new development - I worry that someone took his den and turned it into a Walmart and now instead of hibernating peacefully he's going to be shopping for slippers and an iPod on aisle 6 and 9 without any cash. Know what I mean??

I sure hope Mr. Ted E. Bear finds a nice cave and retires for the Season. It's just that his posture isn't relaxed - it's aggitated. *yes you can tell that from a picture. I can't tell from the picture and if it was a sow at this late in the season she would more than likely had cubs with her - so I'm guessing it is a Mr. not a Sister. I'm just really upset that no one is getting him out of there NOW so that he CAN find and establish a territory & a place to rest before the first snow fall. But maybe that's just it - maybe there are so many bear in your area they can't cross/contaminate bears into a new locale. You and your sling...OMG rofl. That's it! I bet the bear saw your broken wing and said - OH poor thing...lol

 

[Nancy]

Wow that really is a big and beautiful bear. I didn't realize bears were so common in Ct.

Bear Haven is the name of the place Star. Wasn't that show interesting?

Nancy