Heavy breathing and a big black bottom

Post #439,840 by scoenye 9/13/21 7:40:42 PM 9/13/21 7:40:42 PM Reply	Heavy breathing and a big black bottom No, not Ma Rainey's :-/ When I heard the panting, my first thought was "must be the dog". Then braincell #1 kicked in - the dog is in the house. I looked right to see a young black bear heading at a right angle to the path I was on, going at a pretty good clip. It is amazing how quiet they are, even at speed - no crunching sounds, no breaking branches - just the breathing. Braincell #2 then said it was time to get out of there. Unfortunately, the rest of the braincells froze and bear protocol went straight out the window. (Back away - don't turn. Riiight.) 2 steps in I turned again. Lucky me, that big black bottom was bouncing along the trail in the opposite direction. 30' is about as close as I care to get to a bear with nothing but a few trees in between... (We do get bears around the house every once in a while but this was the first encounter in the woods.)
Post #439,841 by drook 9/13/21 10:06:54 PM 9/13/21 10:06:54 PM Reply	Time to practice protocol Running only works when you're with a slower "friend". -- Drew
Post #439,842 by scoenye 9/14/21 7:50:50 AM 9/14/21 7:50:50 AM Reply	Indeed. At least I managed not to start running. Makes a big difference to have even just a glass door as separation vs air.
Post #439,843 by drook 9/14/21 8:09:09 AM 9/14/21 8:09:09 AM Reply	Makes a big difference to your response, maybe; not much difference to the bear -- Drew
Post #439,846 by InThane 9/14/21 3:35:34 PM 9/14/21 3:35:34 PM Reply	Black bears aren't a huge threat... ...as long as you aren't between mama bear and their cub. Yes, they can possibly be dangerous, but they aren't known to be a huge threat to humans. Now brown/grizzly bears... Well, you see one of those and it decides you're lunch, you'd better have a "friend" with you that you are either a) faster than or b) can trip. Ceterum autem censeo pars Republican esse delendam.
Post #439,847 by boxley 9/14/21 4:36:40 PM 9/14/21 4:36:40 PM Reply	lone blackies are more dangerous than momma with cubs "In particular, the common belief that surprising a mother bear with cubs is the most dangerous kind of black bear encounter is inaccurate," Herrero said. "Instead, lone male black bears hunting people as a potential source of food are a greater cause of deadly maulings and related predatory attempts." https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/lone-predatory-black-bears-responsible-most-human-attacks/2011/05/11/ "Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" – Richard Feynman
Post #439,849 by scoenye 9/14/21 7:08:32 PM 9/14/21 7:08:32 PM Reply	This looked like a young one By the sounds of it, it had been running for a while. It's hound huntin' season here and although I did not hear any baying, who knows what happened miles away.

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