We were sitting on the deck yesterday morning about 11:00 when I saw a dog coming up out of the woods directly across from our deck. When it took another step, I realized it was a young bear. Beautiful and brown muzzled. Maybe thirty feet away.
Turns out – after consulting Kaufman’s Mammals volume – that this is exactly the right time for the young bears to leave their mothers. That’s 18 months from January, 2020. They are born in January, and yes, the southern black bears may not hibernate.
This one weighed between 150-200 pounds.
So don’t be surprised if you see a bear. But don’t feel bad if you don’t. It’s my eleventh bear sighting, and the only second on my property – in the past thirty years.
But bear in mind. This is a young bear is looking for a territory of his own – having been pushed out of his mother’s territory. “I don’t know why mom doesn’t love me anymore, and it really hurts. But this looks like a nice place to set up housekeeping.”
I think I’d try to keep it moving to somewhere else. Loud noises, whatever. But remember, your dog is no match for them. Tell old Woofy to bark, but don’t chase. You’ll be happier if he doesn’t.