We've lived up here for almost two years and never saw a bear. Well, I've got trail cam pictures, they destroyed one of my apple trees last fall and, of course, they leave their calling cards on the ground.
Last week, we were watching TV and these two wandered between our two garages and marched down the driveway.
A couple days later, one was standing on our drain field about 20 yards from the house. He walked across the road into the neighbor's woods. A minute later, a deer came charging out of the woods, stood in the field across the road and was hopping up and down. Not a happy deer. About 20 minutes later the bear wandered across the road and walked past my garage and up the little hill where I shoot arrows. I walked out the garage door to see what he was going to do. He walked up to the hay bale I use to support my target, growled and swatted my hay bale. I hollered "Hey" and he stopped and looked at me. I said, "What are you doing"? He stared at me for about 5 seconds and lumbered up the hill and into the woods.
A couple of mornings later, I walked out on my porch with my cup of coffee and saw the back of a bear as he wandered down that very same hill. I went downstairs to do my morning workout. When I came up an hour or so later, I was informed that a bear ran around the house and headed down a deer trail nearby.
It's funny as I now take a look around when I leave the house and more so when I walk in the woods. I'm not worried as there's a greater chance of running into trouble living in the cities than there is living in the country.
I actual am enjoying these sightings. As much as I hate losing an apple tree, I must remember that they were here first and we are intruding on their territory.
If one chews me apart someday, I'll probably change my opinion....
Since Mikey had never visited north eastern Minnesota, we decided to take a little road trip. Heading up Hwy 61 past Silver Bay, we ran into something called "The Oberg Loop" It was supposed to be an easy 2 1/2 mile walk around this mountain top. What they didn't tell you was that you had to get to the top first. After numerous switchbacks and stumbling over an assortment of tree roots and rocks, we did make it to the top. You got a great panoramic view of miles and miles of forest as well as "The Big Lake they call Gitche Gumee"
It's been two years since we moved to the woods of Northern Wisconsin and I decided it was time to wander back to that lake I lived on for 10 years and fished for 35. Of course, my fishin' partner Mike was right there with me.
When we took a road trip out west this winter, we stopped at numerous sites where native Americans had made their homes. North of Santa Fe, N.M. we toured some 500 year old ruins that contained a kiva. A kiva was an underground cavern where religious ceremonies were held. They always had a separate hole leading up to the surface so they could have a fire going and not die of smoke inhalation. I think the real reason for such a cavern was so that the guys could get together, talk stupid and smoke cigars...
