angelordevil
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
RavenBlue said:I like bears. As long as you respect them and keep out of their way.. they'll usually keep out of yours.
This is true. Funny how we humans can upset that balance. I'm speaking of me, as well. I came very close to being lunch meat for a bear last spring. My dog was with me, so I guess she would have been the appetiser! We were hiking up a local mountain that's used for skiing in the winter. As we were making our way down an access road, we went around a very tight corner. I was kind of jogging, while Coco was trailing behind. Everything was great....then I hear the roar. I quickly look up to see a mother Black Bear with two baby cubs tagging along behind her. Needless to say, I froze instantly. I then glanced down to see Coco at my side...her beady little eyes staring at the bears, then at me for an answer.
Anyway, the bears jolted, and ran into the woods faster than I've ever seen anything move...it was truly incredible. Meanwhile, we were still there, with our brains processing the options for escape. We could either continue down the access road, which would mean walking right past the place the bears just ran into (where they were surely hiding, sharpening their claws, and preparing to make a tossed salad from our remains), or we could go back and follow a route to the bottom by going down a boggy transmission line that was filled with stumps and assorted debris.
We went with option two.
Thankfully, our climb down from that point was bear-free. When we finally got to the bottom, I celebrated by taking Coco through the nearby Tim Horton's drive-through, where we shared a toasted bagel.
It was a huge lesson for me: mainly that I was very stupid to walk up there in the peak of mating season. From what I've since read, Black Bears tend to be weary of humans, and fairly non-threatening. But anything is possible if they feel threatened or cornered.
But, man, were they gorgeous animals. It was the first time I'd seen them in person...amazing