10:00 PM June 17th., 2007 Joe having gone to bed because he gets up at 4 AM, I was engrossed in television, when the back corner motion lights came on. I hurried over to switch on the main spotlights and what should come wandering up to our ten foot high steel pole but a nice sized bear. He or she tried to climb over the big water cooler jug, that Joe had slid down over the pole, before he put the new platform feeder on, but the bear gave up. Then it wandered to the front of the house. In case you are wondering why Joe put a water cooler jug on pole, it is because it is a sure proof way to keep squirrels out of the bird feeders. I grabbed my camera and went in through the bedroom to the enclosed front porch, hoping to get a picture. The front motion lights came on and the bear was roaming around smelling everything. It even tried to push the cement black bear statue around, that sits on the brick walk. Competition? By this time Joe was awake, because the lights shine right into our bedroom. The bear was about a 225-250 pounder. He came up to the screening, sniffing the whole porch area. I was trying to make up my mind if I wanted to go out on the porch, WHEN from out around the corner of the house came another bear. WOW! Talk about a heart thumper. This bear was much bigger, (at least 300 - 350 pounds), and now the two of them were checking everything out, scoffing up some sunflower seeds that layed on the ground. I changed my mind real quick about going out on the porch. It is only screened in and either of them could rip through it. After about ten minutes and not finding much to eat, they both headed down the road, towards the creek. 10:45 PM Now I am again engrossed in television, and again the back motion lights came on and I thought, hhmmmm, they are back already. I jumped up and looked out the window, and wandering up from the field, comes a much smaller bear. Now I am thinking, this might have been the one that was here several nights ago. One that was born back in January. And also now I am questioning myself, if those other bears, or at least one of them, were down in the woods or field where the motion lights do not reach far enough to light up that area, several nights ago, when I went outside and took this picture of a baby bruin? Good question, yes? There is a story about the baby bruin in Bear Stories_Page 2}. The little bear looked around, checked out the pole with feeder on top, and then scampered off down the road, following the scent of the other two bears. We can't tell the gender of bears, but we are thinking it was a momma, poppa, and youngster. Or maybe a momma bear with a yearling and the new cub this year. It could be the cub was playing down in the field, in the swamp water that lays in there, or climbed a tree, and now had to play catch up to the other two bears . One thing for certain, I am soooooooo glad I didn't decide to go out on the porch and take pictures. About twenty minutes later I saw the neighbor's motion lights come on. So the bears were traveling down along the creek road, to investigate all the houses and cabins, for leftovers in garbage cans. There are weekenders here every weekend, and some times they leave garbage, or throw food into the woods, which will surely lure the bears into the area. Until the bears can find berries, and vegetation in the mountain to eat, they will keep visiting. After all, summer time and the growing season are just getting started. Till the next story time, Joe and I hope you have a wonderful summer. Page design June 20th 2007 by Diamondavid & Bluejay12 Website maintained by Diamondavid Song Title: Summertime Click here for More Real Bear Stories