Surprise.

[Rancocas]

I was in my deer blind before daylight this morning. It is a ground blind and only about 1/4 mile from my house. I sit on a metal folding chair facing west, my back against a large sweetgum tree. I have several shooting lanes cleared through the brush in front of me. Behind me is a thick tangle of underbrush. I don't watch that way.

I had been sitting, mostly unmoving, for a couple of hours, my eyes scanning the forest before me. About 8:45am I finally had to stand up and stretch.

I leaned my long rifle against a log, and I stood up. There was a "snap" of a breaking stick behind me. I turned quickly, and there, only about 10 feet away, was a bear. It turned and ran off, quickly disappearing in the underbrush. Other than that one snap of a breaking stick, the bear hadn't made a sound.

It wasn't a large bear, only about 150 pounds in my estimation.

Pretty cool, I think. I hadn't seen a bear around here for a couple of years.

 

[William Sublette]

Where is "here"?

 

[Thingamajiggy]

A cool encounter. Always surprises me how quiet some of the bigger animals can be walking thru the brush. I sound like I'm dragging a '73 VW Bug behind me whenever I walk.

 

[rafterob]

Over run with bears at my house, including a pregnant mom who has been laying around eating acorns all day. It always amazes me how quietly they walk through the woods considering how big they are.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Where is "here"?

Cleveland, Tennessee.

 

[CuNosecap]

Nice story.

 

[TDM]

That’s a neat experience! Not many black bears in Mississippi, the few we have stay in the counties along the river. But the population in Louisiana has grown fairly well. W&F says they will plan for a lottery limited season next year.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

I was in my deer blind before daylight this morning. It is a ground blind and only about 1/4 mile from my house. I sit on a metal folding chair facing west, my back against a large sweetgum tree. I have several shooting lanes cleared through the brush in front of me. Behind me is a thick tangle of underbrush. I don't watch that way.

I had been sitting, mostly unmoving, for a couple of hours, my eyes scanning the forest before me. About 8:45am I finally had to stand up and stretch.

I leaned my long rifle against a log, and I stood up. There was a "snap" of a breaking stick behind me. I turned quickly, and there, only about 10 feet away, was a bear. It turned and ran off, quickly disappearing in the underbrush. Other than that one snap of a breaking stick, the bear hadn't made a sound.

It wasn't a large bear, only about 150 pounds in my estimation.

Pretty cool, I think. I hadn't seen a bear around here for a couple of years.

ummm that close i would run. would forget the gun lol

 

[1971fx]

Over run with bears at my house, including a pregnant mom who has been laying around eating acorns all day. It always amazes me how quietly they walk through the woods considering how big they are.

It's because they are "bear foot"

 

[BigCity]

Cleveland, Tennessee.

A friend of mine was from Cleveland. He now lives in Switzerland.

 

[Rancocas]

A friend of mine was from Cleveland. He now lives in Switzerland.

Cleveland, Tennessee?
I think there is a Cleveland in just about every state. Of course, Cleveland, Ohio is the big one.

 

[Rancocas]

A friend of mine had this to say about my bear encounter; The bear went back to join his bear buddies and told this tale; "I was walking quietly though the forest, minding my own business, when suddenly a huge, horrible creature jumped out from behind a tree, only 10 feet away. I thought it was going to eat me, so I turned and ran away as fast as I could."

 

[2 shots]

bear likely thought you were a squatch

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

It's because they are "bear foot"

Nyuck nyuck nyuck!!

 

[Whitworth]

Brother walked around the corner at my house to see the South end of a North bound bear 10-15 feet away. Steve did a silent 3 Stooges "whub whub whub" 180 degree pivot and came in by way of the deck. Judy and I had been watching the bear from inside missed seeing Steve's encounter

 

[PghDad]

Over run with bears at my house, including a pregnant mom who has been laying around eating acorns all day. It always amazes me how quietly they walk through the woods considering how big they are.

Sounds like you're describing my neighbors.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Not overrun with bears here but usually see 1 or 2 every year out and about. Most are like this one, good encounters with 0 pucker factor. About 8 years back though, had a problem with one, did not adhere to the saying 'they are as afraid of you as you are of them'. He'd stand his ground and pop his jaws. Didn't help he was a big bear. Started carrying some bigger heat for a year or 2 while he was around. He was hit by a car which ended our problems. Only time I've been a 'little' bothered walking around the woods, especially in the dark and with my son in tow.

 

[BigCity]

Cleveland, Tennessee?
I think there is a Cleveland in just about every state. Of course, Cleveland, Ohio is the big one.

Yes, Tennessee. He works for Hershey Corporation and before Switzerland, lived in the Ivory Coast.

 

[BillinOregon]

The Shoshone greatly respected "weta," the bear as their silent observer/protector -- just one of many amazing things I am learning from reading Debra Magpie Earling's astonishing "The Lost Journals of Sacajewea."

 

[oldwood]

Here in Pa. , we are over run with bears. The hunting season for them is intentionally set at an inopportune time for most people , the week days before Thanksgiving. By Monday night , there are almost no hunters in camps , as they have families , and must prepare for the holiday. All that said , the reason for keeping the bear population high , is that using the Pa. Blame Commission's own statistics , bears eat half the deer fawns born each year. That's the real reason for the intentional surge in large preditor introductions here. Hybred larger coyotes , bear population redistribution , and another unsucessful experiment we won't discuss . I have been around bears in the woods most of my life. I've learned to keep a watch on them when they are near to me, A local berry farmer was minding his own business , and noticed about a 200 lb. bear , with cub in tow , charging toward him, The trees next to the field were too thick to easily climb , and he could gain only a few feet elevation when the bear grabbed him from behind. She bit him on the butt , then on the top rear of the calf , and tore the skin from back of knee to ankle. Farmer was able to find a club to defend himself , and hit the bear across the nose and eyes. She left. The guy was in rehab for six months getting his health back. Another event was when , at dark , an archery hunter had lowered his bow to the ground , and climbed down to the ground to leave. A bear , probably with a cub , ran from the darkness and grabbed the hunter. Bear and hunter went to the ground , with hunter going into a self protecting ball motionless. After chewing on the hunters parts or a moment , all got quiet. The hunter figured bear had left , but when hunter moved , bear got him again. Again , all got quiet , hunter waited listening , and got up w/o interruption , and walked to a farm house for help. Hunter needed 75 stitches , and 5 days in hospital to begin his recovery. ...............Moral......Keep an eye out for wht is around you while out there. Best to have a gun with you same as did our early woodsmen.