26 Answers

Never having seen one, I can't answer honestly BUT, you can bet I will avoid any bear I see, cub or no cub....

Just don't get between the bear and its cubs!  I hear that they will, otherwise, run away as they are more frightened of you, than you are of them.  (I don't want to have to test that theory.) lol

Not a lot of black bears in Scotland Ann, in fact there are none, not to my knowledge anyway, but what I understand of the black bear is that they won,t bother you if you don,t bother them.

Don,t make them feel threatened and they will just do their own thing.

But always be mindful that they are wild animals and they will protect what they perceive to be theirs.

We have big black bears here in Northern California. They generally avoid the area where I reside because most folk are well armed. But there are noises that are frightening to bears….a string of firecrackers…lit comes to mind.  A few pebbled in an empty milk jug, shaken vigorously while charging the bear will usually send them off. I heard of  a bear in Alaska that went into a house where it broke a kerosine lamp that lit on fire driving the bear off into the woods and burning the house down. Arsonist bears are pretty rare of course, a distant cousin of Smokey.   

Ducky

They re-located him and he came back.

Why are some people, so trigger happy, both on humans and animals. Most of time I cant read such bad reports, I would just cry, knowing I cant help them.

We don`t have any bears in Australia, except in zoos, so no worry.

I always believe if you confront any wild animal you will get a unwelcome response, just leave them be.

Black Bears are very clever (and friendly) scavengers!  They primarily eat fruit and vegetation...but they like fatty food-suet, bologna..you get the picture.  They will eat your trash- or at least scatter it...and they'll eat fruit and some plants you have around...I've seen pictures of cubs playing on slides and swings...and Mama on a deck watching the "kids" play.  Cute!  They (except if Mama thinks you are too close to her cubs) are non-aggressive and tend to be more fearful of humans then we (some of us) are of them.

NO. they are the "BEAR" Necessities!  of life.

Ducky

Or the smell from that pottery paint? Poor dear.

WOW!  Ann I would give anything for an experience like that. They are fabulous creatures.Glad you had the good sense to stand your ground & not confront him.

We MIchiganers walk all over the woods in N. Michigan, and don't give a thought to black bears. Many people have seen one. There was one in my cousin's neighbors garage. I've been hiking on trails where there is fresh bear scat. The usaully don't want to have anything to do witth humans, but I wouldn't suggest approaching one........especially if it is a mother with cubs nearby .

I am more afraid of Eagles picking up my little Pico right now.  I am a bit of a nut but I love that little dog.  It is nesting season and she would make a mighty tasty meal... rubber boots, bright flannel pajamas ... flapping arms... "NO!  Don't eat my baby!"  It is a good thing my neighbors pay no attention to me.

Eagles eat dogs.  It is creepy.

I have a friend that worries about bears.  She has a gun.  This is one thing we don't talk about.

Ann, what an experience! The last time I camped, there were deer, raccoon, javelinas, and skunks in the campground.  I've come across elk on the trail, and even a mountain lion on a bridge near the coast. It is scary, for sure, because they are not domesticated, and one doesn't know FOR SURE what will happen.  It's very cool that you live in an area where there are still such things as black bears.  Are there pheasants, wild turkeys? 
P.S.  Yes, I would be scared. Totally stoked, but scared, too. 

I love Bears so much!We have a bears' den about 400 feet from our door and it's under a magnificent 200+ year old Fir tree, dug into the root mass.I've been inside and it was cozy and warm and thankfully nobody was home at the time.Our cat Nikita has the nickname"Dances On Bears" as once she encountered our Bear in the woods behind the house as it was snuffling around and found her sleeping.She took the opportunity to  stand upon its' head as it reared up and launch herself (using an implanted anti-gravity device) in my direction,flying over the fence,and landing at my feet where she promptly began to clean her paws!!Meanwhile,Bear cut a swath through the trees and ended up on the neighbors' lawn and up a tree for awhile until all the screaming kids went indoors!!Poor Bear learned in a hurry that kittens do indeed have claws!!!

I have never encontered one Ia. I could see one at a zoo.

Now for the real deal. Black bears don't just eat berries, they have killed two elderly people on separate occasions and ate half of their insides. They are carnivores. They will avoid an area were dogs are present, but they have been known to kill small dogs as they are aggressive towards bears. I see a bear, I take my 12 Ga. I'm not in a hurry to become "Smokey's" Big Mac. They have been know to pull the entire window frame out of a wall because they smell the trash that has not been taken out. Cute animals, my ass.

Ducky

ed..After reading your comments I remembered an experience from many years ago (probably 40) and you're not the only one who has seen a different side of those black bears being not so adorable and non-agressive. I witnessed (first hand in a camp ground) the very aggressive nature of black bears. NO ONE was doing ANYTHING to them...it was 4AM and 3 black bears entered a camp ground and went on a rampage...tore up 3 tents and scared many of us half to death...park rangers came running from everywhere with noise guns, while trying to keep people calm. The (very experienced) head ranger told us that they had been hanging around the camp area for months and the largest one weighed well over 500 pounds. Scarey..scarey..scary!!!

Nope.

We don't get bears in the UK, only foxes and a few wild cats. They are talking about reintroducing the Lynx.

I've not seen any bears near my house. The nightly news last week informed everyone that due to the early Sprng we are experiencing the bears are coming out of hibernation earlier than usual.

Just a thought The only "Bear to get near to me Is "Me naked in front of the "Mirror

                                                   "BEAR as in NAKED.

I think it's illegal to kill Black Bears in the us, or I would look forward to Bear stew or Bear burgers or Bear steak............JK

I have been face down in a two man tent with a black bear circling the tent (close enough to be rubbing the sides). Was I scared? Damn right. And at 1:30 am, my young son and I got into our canoe and left everything for the bear.

I would be very afraid if I encountered a black bear during the circumstances that you encountered him.  God bless your heart!

In the wrong place at the wrong time, yes.

No, not them, only THE BIG BAD WOLF!!!

No, why would I.

If I could, I'd want to hug one right now. They are so fluffy! :3

Colleen

Moved

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Ann
Karma: 391821

I am not afraid either, but I would not want to hug a big bear. They are still big, wild animals.

Colleen

Moved means that the comment below me is one I moved to where it belongs. Ann posted her reply to you as a new answer and not as a comment. I moved it here to where it belonged.