Wake-up call for me (bear)

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11-03-2010, 08:44
cebeu

Wake-up call for me (bear)

I live in the hills...we have wildlife...and as a resident in "their home" you appreciate that fact first and foremost but you manage around it. Me? If the sun is down my awareness is "up."

Working out of the home office today, the lady headed down the hill, just the opposite of our normal day so I had to "do the dogs" as a result. Leashes on, garage door opened, head down the drive a piece, dark, light in-hand, .357 in my APX, normal sounds, nothing unusual but the dogs (Beagle and Beagle/Golden mix) were a bit "on edge" as I reflect back on it, nothing too out of character. Wander around the property a bit, dogs finish their business and its time for breakfast. Head in, unleash, grab the bowls and back out to the garage I go to fill em' up. Open the door, take a few steps and something catches my eye…I look to my right and BAM...a friggin' huge black bear, I'm guessing he/she weighs at least 27,000 lbs at this point, is at my garage entrance just looking at me, quiet as all get out, beautiful animal but god damn...whatta ya' do?

I clamored the steel bowls together (noise), tossed them aside and placed a hand on my revolver instinctively, and slowly stepped back towards the door and inside…wheeeewwww! The dogs are looking at me with a “WTF is with all the noise and where’s the food” expression and I’m just standing there thinkin’…damn!

This beast has been causing some grief for two of the neighboring property’s this past year, I’ve found the scat all year long but…whoooaaaa…first time he/she has ventured near me.

After cleaning my shorts and looking out from a secure, internal vantage point I watch it amble down my drive a bit so I got up the nerve to grab my light and head-out to watch this great creature do its thing. Spent maybe 10-15 minutes together at a reasonable distance and then it waddled over to a neighboring drive and headed out of site into the tree-line. Never once thought to grab a camera (and it was dark) so no pics.

All-in-all…a very interesting wake-up for me and I’m almost positive I heard that bear mumble something to the effect of “what a dumbass…” as it stumbled away

Note to self; "may finally be time to consider that .44 Mag." [Help]
11-03-2010, 08:48
TS12000

Glad you handled the situation well and didn't get mauled. Wildlife is a trip man.
11-03-2010, 08:54
ghettodub

great story, and I know what you're talking about. I grew up in the hills, and my folks still live up there, and there are bears and mountain lions that frequent around their house. scares the shit out of me...
11-03-2010, 09:00
rockhound

had to replace my 2 car garage door last summer due to a bear.

we were out camping for the week, when we got home there was a three foot diameter hole in garage door. bear tore a hole in it to get to the trash can

ate the trash capped in driveway, thanks a lot
11-03-2010, 09:05
BigBear

Sorry I woke you up... I was just looking for my stuffed teddy human.... long night and I couldn't sleep.... hehe
11-03-2010, 09:10
cebeu

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBear

Sorry I woke you up... I was just looking for my stuffed teddy human.... long night and I couldn't sleep.... hehe

Ya' bastard, freaked me out...call first. [LOL]

rockhound - yup...same thing with one of my neighbors this year. In a window, ransacked the freezer and left a steaming pile in the middle of the garage floor as a parting gift. [ROFL1]
11-03-2010, 09:18
Byte Stryke

I was just going to ask if you happened to have a stash of Parts or Manuals for a '97 Honda Civic, 2 door coupe in your Garage.
Maybe he smelled ya out and was doing some "Shopping"

[Tooth]
11-03-2010, 09:46
BigBear

Quote:

Originally Posted by cebeu

Ya' bastard, freaked me out...call first. [LOL]

rockhound - yup...same thing with one of my neighbors this year. In a window, ransacked the freezer and left a steaming pile in the middle of the garage floor as a parting gift. [ROFL1]

Couldn't call.... my thumbs were... not thumbs.... And uh, sorry about leavin' my scat on your neighbors garage. The door was locked to the house! Tell him I'm sorry about his fender too, but I couldn't find the toilet paper!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byte Stryke

I was just going to ask if you happened to have a stash of Parts or Manuals for a '97 Honda Civic, 2 door coupe in your Garage. Maybe he smelled ya out and was doing some "Shopping"
[Tooth]

Hey, I ain't no theif! Although those dogs could've made a tempting breakfast!

I have the utmost respect for wildlife. They are some amazing creatures.
11-03-2010, 11:11
Deckert

Over the years I've had a few chances to meet bears in the wild. I have never had an angry one, but that doesn't mean I didn't crap my pants. I once took a cruise to Alaska and was solo hiking a trail near the glacier outside of Juneau. Now this trail was CLEARLY marked with a bear warning sign that "strongly discourages" solo hikers, but, what the hey, I'm only here once, right?

I never thought of myself as a "Darwin candidate" until then. Half way around the 4 mile loop in thick undergrowth, I had the biggest freakin' animal I ever saw cross the trail about 25 yards ahead of me. It never paid me a moments attention to me, but sweet, sufferin' Jesus, I was spooked! It was a very, very nervous hike back I can tell you.

Got eye-balled pretty hard in the high country two summers ago. Big black bear who came back twice to check me out from 150 yards away. The 30-30 I was carrying seemed mighty puny. I have since up-gunned to a 45-70 Guide Gun. Solo hiking has it's great aspects, but I think I'm getting too old for this stuff.
11-03-2010, 11:20
sniper7

I would invest in a bigger caliber!

good story, glad you AND the dogs came out unscathed!
11-03-2010, 19:44
Beprepared

Sounds like you had a great encounter. Glad you made it. Yep bigger caliber and maybe a bigger dog. Its really interesting how animals behave towards one another. Just the right amount of cautions aggression and bark go along way with a bear. [Luck]

Deckert- I hiked most of those trails solo in my high school summers. If I decided to rub a couple brain cells that day I brought bear spray. Yes there are an insane number of large bear, black and brown, not to mention the wolves at the edge of town.[Weight][Bang]
11-03-2010, 22:40
Ah Pook

Quote:

Originally Posted by cebeu

This beast has been causing some grief for two of the neighboring property’s this past year, I’ve found the scat all year long but…whoooaaaa…first time he/she has ventured near me.

A 27,000lb bear must leave quite the scat pile. [Shock]

Yes, wildlife can be fun.
11-05-2010, 07:46
Bailey Guns

Several times, like you said, I've noticed my dogs slightly on edge and ignored them or tried to get them to stop barking. After an encounter earlier this year with a sow and her two cubs, I'm finally starting to take them seriously.

It's just hard to imagine what they can actually smell and hear. But I know it's a lot more than I can. Well, I knew that before but I actually trust their judgment more than I once did. I try to really pay attention to their behavior now...especially when they try to tell me, "I wouldn't go out there if I was you."