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Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Very Curious Bear Cubs

Yesterday, I was in the zone, pedaling hard through the forest on a narrow trail. I glanced to my right, and I saw a brown butt and a black butt galloping parallel to me. The thought flitted through my mind, "That's odd. I thought that I left the Labraduo at home.". Then, I realized that the butts were not Lab butts but bear cub butts!

They galloped away from me fast. Meanwhile, my eyes sought out mom. She was very close, perhaps 20 yards from me. She stood strong, first watching her cubs' butts disappear into the forest. Then, she turned to examine me as she stood still and silent.

I took three steps away from her while hauling my bike with me. She watched me unwaveringly, still unperturbed.  After I stood still gazing back at her for five seconds or so, she turned and galloped after her cubs.

It was magical. Bears are my favorite wild animals, and I live for those moments of seeing them in the forest, away from homes. Seeing Mohawk and her cubs with my own eyes was special beyond words. I shouldn't have been surprised. We live in the heart of Mohawk's territory, She's been wandering the forest near our house with her cubs for the past month.

These photos were from a nearby spot. The first glimpse of the black cub in a photo answered an age-old question. Yes, bears poop in the woods! And, cubs like to mess with trail cams.

After finishing his business, Blackie joined the monkey wrench gang, rearranging my trail cam by the time he decided to move on. Here's a close-up of him.

The cubs checked out a mountain lion scent marking spot. Brownie loves being bipedal. She seems to rear up onto her hind legs every time she's on video.

She and her sibling sniffed something together.

At a bear-marking tree, Brownie was standing tall again as she sniffed where so many bears have left their scents over this season and many before it.

Check out the video of this precious pair of cubs. They melt my heart. I feel so lucky that this family is living in our neck of the woods! I don't think that Mohawk will take them very long distances in the quest for food this year so I am guessing that we'll be watching them until they go into a den.

19 comments:

  1. great that we have the evidence now that this saying is true ,O)

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  2. The cubs are too cute up on their hind legs.

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  3. So cool! Thanks for sharing your trail cam with all of us!

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  4. I am thinking Brownie thinks she is a grizzly.. ha ha love love love the bear pooping in the woods. now we know. it is exciting that you are getting all these daylight videos of them. so much better than night vision, I can't decide which I like better, bears or mountain lines or splashing moose

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  5. Hari Om
    Oh my...
    to see them with your eye
    Love of nature rewarded
    even as selfies recorded!!!
    YAM xx

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  6. Gosh they are cute! And growing quickly too. I would have had a heart attack to see the mother bear so close Perhaps they know your scent from the trail cams and realize you mean them no harm.

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  7. Awww, they are adorable. You have such wonderful experiences where you live. Beautiful.

    Have a fabulous day. ♥

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  8. Whoa that was a beary close encounter of the furry kind. Brownie is too cute.
    They are having a fine first summer.
    Hugs Cecilia

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  9. They bear cubs are really adorable. We would be a little scared if we were that close to the momma bear. Thanks for sharing your encounter. Have a wonderful rest of your day.
    World of Animals

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  10. Oh, such fun!!! It appears that Blackie was not too happy with that camera's invasion of his privacy:) Loved seeing Brownie bipedal too. They look like they are growing fast.

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  11. How magical that encounter must have felt. Thankfully you realized it was the two cubs and made sure mom decided you weren't a threat.

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  12. They are so inquisitive, sniffing everything there, rolling away the big stones, and the trail cam, thank goodness it was so secure. Two cubs running with you, would that be a first?

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  13. They are just so adorable. I'm glad the mom was not angry about you being in her area.

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  14. First thought is your cameras must be strong. Wonderful that you got to see the family in person and that it was a peaceful meeting.

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  15. This is so good! Thank you for sharing such a special experience, as well as the lovely footage :)

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  16. Oh those baby bears are just too cute.. They are already walking like grown up bears!
    love
    tweedles

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  17. How lucky you got to see them in the furs!! So cute
    hugs
    Mabel & Hilda

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  18. That little blondie guy is just too darn adorable. Guess that old adage is true...a bear really does ____ in the woods.

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