Close encounters of the bear kind....

[Glacier]

Today is my last day of holidays so I spent it paddling on a river not far from home. I've posted pictures of it. Usually all I see is ducks, muskrats and eagles. This afternoon on my way back to the boat launch, I stopped to feather my paddle before coming around the last corner. It's easier to paddle into a headwind with blades feathered. Thank goodness I stopped or I would have paddled right into a Black Bear!!! When I looked up from my paddle, there he was just a few yards in front of my boat in the water!

Unfortunately, I was trying to figure out the safest path out of his way and never even thought to grab my camera! He was a young looking bear so I didn't want to stick around and see if Momma Bear was following him!

[Corinna]

Wise choice , we had a simular case a coulpe years ago only with a 5year old Moose. I think a bear would be perferred.

[Glacier]

Wise choice , we had a simular case a coulpe years ago only with a 5year old Moose. I think a bear would be perferred.

I'd take a bear over a moose anyday, especially if my dogs were with me. Moose are my biggest fear when I'm out with the dog team.

[Iilo]

Moose are scary beasties. Tho I'm a big fan of the "night danger" signs in Ontario -- makes me think of them as super heros rather than anything else.

We've run into a few on our way up the Gunflint trail. Thankfully they were all very well off to the side of the road and not having angry days. I've heard lots of horror stories bout moosies though. I'm just always afraid there's going to be one standing in the middle of the road after we turn a corner in Gunflint and he's gonna get real angry about the car being on HIS road.

Black bears are my favorite. They seem to follow me around, them and white tailed deer -- but deer are way more common up here. At our last house, we had two bears that dug through our garbage (kind of annoying) and just wandered around. It's scary having them around, but they're also really fun to watch (from a safe distance!!). These days we just have one occasional black bear who just kind of ambles through on his way to better places. Rien isn't toopid enough to even say "boo" to the bear, so we've never had any issues.

The big wild aminals are always so scary but yet so intriguing. It's hard for me to decide which emotion wins -- watch the bear, or run (walk calmly) inside.

[Killearn Kitties]

I can't believe that you didn't grab your camera. You take such fantastic pictures, and when I saw the title of the thread I thought "Oh great, there will be a lovely picture in here". How very disappointing.

[G535]

We are so lucky down here as we can walk in the bush all day and not have to worry about dangerous animals (apart from the human variety).

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

How scary....

btw, what is a moosie?

[GreyhoundGirl]

I don't blame you. Taking a pic would be the last thing I'd have done.

Moosie is probably moose, too. Just my guess. Some people say doggie indtead or dog. Makes sense. moose, moosie.

[Queen of Poop]

Yikes!! Who was more startled, you or the bear? Glad you were able to get away unscathed.

[sasvermont]

Are you slipping? No photo shoot for us?

I would have died from a heart attack.

Glad you are fine and didn't tangle with the bear!

[Alysser]

Wow! A bear?

I would have panicked I bet, especially if it was a younger bear. If the mother had been around you would have been in big trouble! I'm glad your okay. To bad for no pictures, that would have been cool. But I would have never used a camera in that time either. Did the bear see you?

Sorry for such a stupid question but, would moose charge at you? Is that why your scared of them?

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Wow, that is so neat!

I saw my first black bear a few weeks ago, it was a momma and a cub, but it was from the safetly of the car. (We saw them on the edge of a forest, they were so cool!) Whenever I see wildlife my fascination always overcomes my fear, not so great when they are potentially dangerous. I always maintain a safe distance though...I can imagine how startling it would be to just to happen upon a bear, though. Glad you are safe!

[Glacier]

Did the bear see you?

Sorry for such a stupid question but, would moose charge at you? Is that why your scared of them?

Yup, he saw me. He looked right at me a couple times while he was crossing the river.

Moose are vicious creatures. If they feel the tiniest bit threatened or just don't feel like moving, they will charge. A moose with her calf is particularly dangerous or a male in mating season. In the winter they will defend a trail as their own. They won't hesitate to walk into the middle of a dog team and start kicking. One kick from a moose can easily kill a dog.

[Russian Blue]

My mom lives near Algonquin Park in Ontario which is also known as moose central. She usually has a moose in her driveway at least once a year and bears are a regular sight.

She's been fighting with one black bear recently that keeps destroying her bird feeder. My mother, a bird lover, is getting quite irritated.

Lut, click here ----->Moose Info

[Corinna]

I wish I could find the picture I have of a the damage a moose did to a VW jetta here a couple years ago. Some kids were driving on the hiway and it walked out in front of them. They hit it, luckly they were rounding a huge curve and had slowed down but it just pissed off the moose. He totally distoryed the car.The kids got out and ran like heck as the moose totaled the car.

Around here if you feed birds and dogs outside you can be fined during the spring and later summer. It is bear attracions and you put yourself and others at risk for Grizz attacks here.