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I've had so many encounters with black bears ...

December 07, 2018 07:39PM
that I've lost count. Never anything that I felt in real danger, however. One made a false charge at me once, but it was a very small bear.

The scariest took place on my very first "true" backpacking trip. I had hung my food, (counter balanced from a tree limb, which back then was standard procedure), about 100' from my sleeping bag. I wasn't using a tent that night, I seldom sleep in a tent unless it's raining. I always keep a small flashlight around my neck for late night bathroom trips or whatever.

Sometime in the middle of the night I heard noise over by the tree where I had hung my food. Bears are BRILLIANT, and can find ways to get your food even when properly stored. I rolled to my stomach, I was using my backpack as a pillow, and pointed my flashlight in the direction of where I guessed my food was hung... thinking it was a raccoon. I aimed and clicked on my flashlight...

6" from my face a black bear, (full sized one), was sniffing the backpack I was sleeping on. I instantly went into my best impression of a "Daffy Duck Hysterical Fit"... and it worked. Scared the hell out of the bear. laughing smiley

When bears figured out how to get food that was counter balanced they made it a law, in certain areas, that you had to carry a bear canister, so I got one. I believe every single backpacking trip I took in Yosemite at least one night a bear would try to open my canister. I'd just toss it out on the ground, away from where I was sleeping, and bears would attack it during the night.. beating it, throwing it, but they were never able to open it.

One more quick one: The first year they made carrying a bear canister mandatory I ran into a ranger on the trail and asked why... he said the bears I had figured it out. He watched a black bear climb a tree 'above' the limb food was hung on and then jump OUT of the tree - hitting the limb, breaking it, and getting the food.

Amazing creatures. - JamesJM
SubjectAuthorViewsPosted

  Mountain Lions...

JamesJM556November 28, 2018 08:32AM

  Re: Mountain Lions...

waterfield183November 28, 2018 09:18AM

  They should ask....

JamesJM168November 28, 2018 09:27AM

  amazing

ferragamo79167November 28, 2018 09:25AM

  That was in Yosemite...

JamesJM171November 28, 2018 09:34AM

  Re: Mountain Lions...

RamsFootballFans.com189November 28, 2018 09:26AM

  LMFAO

ferragamo79223November 28, 2018 09:45AM

  Re: LMFAO

RamsFootballFans.com179November 28, 2018 09:50AM

  Awesome!

sstrams260November 28, 2018 11:14AM

  thank you, Henny Youngman nm

21Dog162November 28, 2018 01:37PM

  got a wildlife story for you

21Dog182November 28, 2018 01:41PM

  Not only would I have soiled my britches....

JamesJM207November 28, 2018 01:57PM

  Our Amazing and Crazy Grizzly story

waterfield193November 28, 2018 03:37PM

  Re: Our Amazing and Crazy Grizzly story

MamaRAMa201November 28, 2018 04:13PM

  Re: Our Amazing and Crazy Grizzly story

waterfield181November 28, 2018 04:39PM

  I've got an easy explanation for that..

sstrams255November 29, 2018 02:55AM

  OK, I am gonna share this

ferragamo79178November 28, 2018 05:04PM

  Re: OK, I am gonna share this

IowaRam188November 28, 2018 05:50PM

  You have put me in my place...

JamesJM171November 28, 2018 05:58PM

  Re: OK, I am gonna share this

RamsFootballFans.com269November 29, 2018 02:18AM

  You beat me to it..

sstrams181November 29, 2018 02:56AM

  Re: You beat me to it..

RamsFootballFans.com198November 29, 2018 08:07AM

  I had an eerily similar experience NM

Atlantic Ram174November 29, 2018 03:58PM

  We get a few here in NW Iowa

IowaRam274November 28, 2018 06:26PM

  One of my great experiences...

JamesJM237November 28, 2018 06:48PM

  I read this with great interest.

canadaram216December 03, 2018 03:23PM

  Re: I read this with great interest.

JamesJM183December 03, 2018 05:51PM

  Re: I read this with great interest.

waterfield189December 03, 2018 07:55PM

  Re: I read this with great interest.

JamesJM179December 04, 2018 05:19AM

  A full grown man could most likely fight off a mountain lion

ferragamo79332December 04, 2018 03:56PM

  Re: A full grown man could most likely fight off a mountain lion

waterfield163December 04, 2018 05:39PM

  A 220lb Cougar would be rare....

JamesJM200December 04, 2018 05:46PM

  Re: A 220lb Cougar would be rare....

waterfield175December 05, 2018 08:23AM

  I'd be in SERIOUS trouble...

sstrams257December 05, 2018 06:58AM

  Re: I read this with great interest.

canadaram200December 07, 2018 03:53PM

  I've had so many encounters with black bears ...

JamesJM205December 07, 2018 07:39PM

  Re: I've had so many encounters with black bears ...

canadaram182December 08, 2018 12:27AM

  I have encountered many bears and in fact a lion and panther

ferragamo79166December 08, 2018 06:55AM

  Yeah '79, these guys are nuts..

sstrams163December 08, 2018 07:35AM

  Re: Yeah '79, these guys are nuts..

canadaram183December 12, 2018 11:30AM

  Oh, you just had to bring that up, Canada...!

sstrams301December 12, 2018 11:56AM

  We were ALL thinking it.... :)

Aries163December 12, 2018 05:53PM

  Ah, the mob mentality.. I'm cooked..

sstrams151December 13, 2018 04:35AM

  Re: Oh, you just had to bring that up, Canada...!

RamsFootballFans.com153December 13, 2018 03:18AM

  No, '73.. that would imply..

sstrams145December 13, 2018 04:34AM

  Jogger uses his bare hands to kill mountain lion

canadaram187February 05, 2019 06:06PM

  Always thought this was crazy

IowaRam152February 05, 2019 06:37PM

  Wow!

canadaram286February 05, 2019 06:47PM

  The "wow" is for the comments youtube

Atlantic Ram181February 05, 2019 08:04PM

  Re: The "wow" is for the comments youtube

canadaram182February 06, 2019 01:35AM

  Still more Mountain Lions in the news: Woman grabs mountain lion

canadaram174February 07, 2019 12:35PM