NHMountainMan
Free Ranging
When I get some time, I'll post some of the game cam pics we get around our land.
My biggest wildlife encounter - Black bear - took place Oct. 2016.
I'm an early bird. Living rurally - we do not have trash pickup. Our dump and recycling center is only open a few days a week. I forgot that on Friday, it's only open in the afternoon. But - at 7 a.m - backed my pickup half into the garage to load up, before remembering I couldn't go to the dump until afternoon. Went inside for coffee, and other chores. Next trip outside, There is a bear in the bed of my pickup, tearing through the trash. I startled him, he startled me and fortunately, I had my dogs with me. The easiest exit for the bear was to jump off the tailgate, and he jumped straight into the garage - maybe 8 feet from me. The dogs got between me and the bear, then then one dog rushed him, while the other dog went behind him. every time he moved towards one dog, the other dog charged his backside. He'd spin towards one dog, and then the other would charge him. After I got a second to think, I opened another garage door, so the bear had an easy exit. He took off, with my guys hot on his tail. They tree'd him, and I was able to get the dogs back under my control. Unfortunately, one of the dogs got hurt - not sure exactly how, but came back with one leg in the air. He ended up needing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his "knee."
I've walked up on bear in the woods, and as there is so much room to escape, it's never an issue. But having 150 lbs of bear, and 250 lbs of dogs swirling around in the garage was my biggest wildlife encounter I've ever experienced.
My biggest wildlife encounter - Black bear - took place Oct. 2016.
I'm an early bird. Living rurally - we do not have trash pickup. Our dump and recycling center is only open a few days a week. I forgot that on Friday, it's only open in the afternoon. But - at 7 a.m - backed my pickup half into the garage to load up, before remembering I couldn't go to the dump until afternoon. Went inside for coffee, and other chores. Next trip outside, There is a bear in the bed of my pickup, tearing through the trash. I startled him, he startled me and fortunately, I had my dogs with me. The easiest exit for the bear was to jump off the tailgate, and he jumped straight into the garage - maybe 8 feet from me. The dogs got between me and the bear, then then one dog rushed him, while the other dog went behind him. every time he moved towards one dog, the other dog charged his backside. He'd spin towards one dog, and then the other would charge him. After I got a second to think, I opened another garage door, so the bear had an easy exit. He took off, with my guys hot on his tail. They tree'd him, and I was able to get the dogs back under my control. Unfortunately, one of the dogs got hurt - not sure exactly how, but came back with one leg in the air. He ended up needing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his "knee."
I've walked up on bear in the woods, and as there is so much room to escape, it's never an issue. But having 150 lbs of bear, and 250 lbs of dogs swirling around in the garage was my biggest wildlife encounter I've ever experienced.
