Christine Smith's Blog

This morning, a large mother bear with her two cubs sauntered by in front of my home.

Of course, bear frequent the forest here, and I’ve seen them for many years.  Several years ago, I was sitting outside, having a sandwich, when an enormous bear came around the corner of my home headed my way within a few feet.  I got up and stepped onto my deck and went inside.  Another time about 3 years ago, one stood on its hind legs, pressing itself against my large glass picture window (the paw prints on the glass were interesting) but not as much as pulling another curtain back next to it and seeing the bear standing up against my window – so tall, heavy and strong.   A rare occurrence happened several years ago, when three bear lay down a few feet from my front door, in my driveway, for a couple hours.  Most of the time, however, you don’t see them during the day.

Because squirrels and chipmunks play on my deck and climb the window panes (see last 2 photos taken a couple days ago) I once mistook the sound and fur I became aware of for a squirrel until I got up to look outside.  It was about 2 years ago,  I was sitting at my desk when I heard something at my kitchen window and saw a little black fur moving on the screen; thinking it was a squirrel I went over and leaned as far as I could to look around, then turned left to see a bear.

This time, however, I took a few photos quickly just before they entered the forest directly across from my driveway.  This was only the 2nd time seeing bear this entire year at my home.  About a month ago, a very large bear wandered past in early morning – jaunting quickly on its way.  Today, also in the morning, the mother and her two cubs wandered past as well.  The last photo shows the 2nd cub quickly galloping to catch up with its mother and sibling.

(Click image(s) to enlarge.)