Originally Posted by
indyfabz
The bear pictured above was on a Forest Service road in Yaak, MT. In 2017 I was camping on the edge of the Allegheny National Forest. There were some faded warning signs about bears at the campground which, interestingly, abuts FCI McKean. That’s where actor Wesley Snipes did his time for tax evasion. Got before light the next morning and went to toss some paper trash. Saw the dumpsters had been raided my a bear that had left behind a big pile of scat. Went back to my site and noticed another pile about 30’ from my tent.
Made my coffee and ate my breakfast with my head on a swivel. Packed up and walked my bike to the campground entrance which was close to the dumpsters. As I was putting on my helmet and about to turn on my lights I heard bottles clinking. Looked over at the dumpsters. Out from between the two walked a huge bear. Easily 600 lbs. (It was mid-September so he was fattening up for the coming winter.) We were about 35’ from each other. Not a good way to start the morning. Fortunately, the thing realized what a badass I am and ambled off.
Here’s my beast:
Not biking but lots of black bear encounters. Last night of a six day backpack trip. Reading my book on a log and was casual with cleaning up and putting my food up a tree and cleaning the pots. Sixth sense kicks in and I look around to see a black bear about 15 feet away looking at me. Oh, crap. Put down the book and started suggesting he/she/it walk away. A little louder and some pine cone tossing and it starts ambling away but looking over its shoulder and giving me a look like "are you sure you don't want to visit?" After it was about 50 feet away I quickly cleaned up camp. The next morning, driving out, there's this guy out on the road with some odd-fangled antenna. I stop and he asks if I've seen a dog or any bear. I proudly lied and said I hadn't seen any bear. I did feel sorry for the missing dog.
But better yet, on another packpack it is early morning and we are packing up and a five foot rattlesnake winds its way to our camp site. Now that was adrenaline secreting. We then took turns watching the snake and packing and watching and packing. But I also still have the rattle of another snake I met along a rocky creek in the Sierra. Out fishing. Saw/heard/sensed the damn thing. It strikes out but fortunately misses. I back off and it comes toward me. A grab a stick and strike and it backs off but each time I back away carefully on the irregular surface, it approaches me again. Stick, back, it follows. Stick, back, it follows. I finally landed a blow and beamed it. (my hackles are raised just writing about it again).
Now to figure out what harvested my beets, carrots and even tomatoes the other day!!!! We surmise raccoons.
