Black Bear Sighted at Critter Creek

[Richard S]

The title about says it all. Black bears do not often come down out of the sanctuary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the northern boundary of which is a mile to the south of Critter Creek. However, this evening Joyce and I were standing at the cabin window watching a hummingbird at the feeder as the sun was about to disappear behind the mountains to the west when suddenly a yearling black bear strolled out from behind some azalea bushes lining the small pond, jumped gracefully up onto and over the rock wall, and disappeared into the brush.

I've been seeing bear sign around the cabin in recent weeks, but to see one literally "in the yard," so to speak really made our day.

You all have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend! Ours is off to a great start.

[kjtrains]

Great sighting, Richard; and to you and yours a great 4th and to all as well.

[Relic]

 

What a wonderful way to start a great weekend.
Best wishes to all and have a fantastic 4th!  

[Reinz]

Sounds fun, hope you get to see more of him -

from a safe distance.

[DTM_39]

Always special to see.  Great way to start a weekend.  

[Richard S]

We haven't seen the bear in the two weekends we have spent at the cabin since the July 4 holiday. If he has any sense, he will have retreated back up into the sanctuary of the National Park by now.  

As soon as we saw him, I grabbed my Nikon, eased out of the cabin, and as quietly as possible crossed over the creek and the rock wall hoping to get some photographs. No luck, of course, or they would have been plastered all over this thread.

When I got back to the cabin, Joyce looked at me and said, "I think I need to increase the amount of your life insurance policy." To which I replied, "Lord, honey, I've seen St. Bernard dogs larger than that little yearling black bear."  

[DTM_39]

Richard,  A bushel of corn and he will be your best friend.

[Richard S]

Richard,  A bushel of corn and he will be your best friend.

Great idea, Dan! One bushel of corn, honey on the side.

[kjtrains]

Sounds like a good bear meal for sure, at the "Critter Bar and Grill".    

[DTM_39]

I forgot the honey on the side.  Those feeders look to be well used.

[Richard S]

* * *  Those feeders look to be well used.

Dan:

I built that feeding station some six or seven years ago. Each fall, I have to rebuild and paint it for the coming winter. Between the racoons, squirrels, chipmunks, o'possums, assorted birds from finches to crows -- and who knows what else in the dead of night, it takes a beating. No table manners, these critters around the creek.

[RickP]

Richard,

You ought to get a game camera. One of my wife's teaching buddies has a bear raiding her bird feeders on a regular basis. No telling what you would find.

Rick

[Richard S]

Rick:

Thank you for that suggestion. Joyce also mentioned a camera setup to see what was going on at the feeding station "when no one was looking." As a start, I've been studying the game cameras advertised in my Cabelas catalogue but am open to any recommendations as to brand and type. The results produced by a game camera could be interesting to see.    

[DTM_39]

I use a cuddy back.  Works great.  But it is 5 years old now and the technology is changing quickly. I can't say where it stacks up these days.  I can say every time I go to get the pictures I feel like a little kid opening a present.  You never know whats inside.