Bear Story

At 5am I heard a crash on my front deck and some loud yelling. By the time I hit the living room, groggy from sleep, the front screen was torn into a ball, a flower pot was smashed and I looked in amazent at my large window, left wide open and easy access to the bear who obviously almost gained access to my house. Later that morning my neighbor told me he was the one who scarred the large bear away by yelling from his second story deck - amazing - usually they don't scare that easy when on the trail of food. My neighbor probably saved my life or at least the condition of my living room. Bears frequently get inside houses up here and they aren't very tidy. But in this case I would probably have walked right into him.

Bears are pretty docile around here. I have walked within 50 feet of one busy with some food - didn't notice him until the last minute. They are not Grizzlies which are much more aggresive as in the northwest, but if our black bears feel trapped, they will use what they've got - power, claws and teeth. In August the bears begin to engorge themselves in order hibernate. When there isn't enough food in the woods, they begin breaking into houses and trash cans. Word is that this year the bears are very aggressive. I was pretty careless to leave a first story window open for easy access. But the truffles are safe and so am I. Thank goodness.