So we loaded up the gear and headed out on an adventure this past week. Friday was a super day as we came upon a Black Bear and her two cubs. We have observed this Bear before, several years ago. However, these are last years cubs and we have not observed them. Interestingly, she still likes her favorite spots and that makes for an easy tracking session. I get the sense she remembers me by the ease she quickly has, but that could be my need to feel that she remembers me. Black Bears are very keen with there senses. There's plenty of sleeping going on, so, much patience is needed to even get pictures of them awake. In addition, they are spending a great bit of time in the trees eating. Fortunately we are able to get a few pictures and we are on our way to find the next wildlife.
Eventually we discover a larger Black Bear with three cubs. She is however much more anxious. This requires much more patience and slower movement. These are last years cubs and she is bothered as if they are her first and or this is there first year. This generally means she has had some type of bad experience. Whether it was with people or some other event. Bears like people have different mood swings too. Either way we were only able to get one good shot of her and none of the cubs shots were successful. Lighting was great which really made this be a big disappointment from a photo standpoint. However, the experience like many others is always enjoyable. We decide to leave her alone and hope to catch up with her later this summer in a better mood.
Next day we decide to check up on the first Black Bear and her cubs to see how close they are to there routine. Perfect timing they are precisely where we thought they would be. However, it does change and when it does you have to figure it out again. Especially as the cubs her older and can move faster and need more food they widen there range.
Shortly afterwards we decide that we need find some of this years cubs and we set off in search. Very luckily we are able to discover this years cubs as we stumble upon a Black Bear with three of 2010 cubs. Great luck too she is an experience mom. She is very relaxed. Unfortunately though she is hanging out in a very low light situation. So we ended up with no keepable pictures. It was very enjoyable to observe the cubs playing. We observed for several hours as they played and the Mom walked around feeding on the ground. We decided to leave as they went to sleep knowing it would be a very long time before they awoke. This trip was not that kind of trip.
We decided the nextday to recheck our first mothers pattern again and it has now changed. However, we are more interested in what the mom with the new borns is up to and time is limited. Storms should be here but they are not and we dont know how luck we will be with the weather. As we are looking for the mom with the new borns we are hoping they will be near there last location. Luckily we did find them not to far. This will also change as time passes and the season gets under way. The cubs are sleeping and mom is so comfortable with us now that she leaves as the cubs are sleeping in the tree. She stays within sight with a long lens and I can see her look back occassionally. Make no mistake about it she would be here in a second if we were to move anywhere near the cubs location. We hold our ground hoping she will comeback soon because time is short. Unfortunately she does not come back and over an hour has past. She has not even started back so we decide it is time to go.
We observed other wildlife during the adventure but i am out of time so maybe later. Feel free to ask questions. Have a Great hike. PWG
