The dog was barking at something this morning, so I ran outside in bare feet and saw him in the woods with something that was growling at him. My first thought was to get the gun and shoot this thing that was probably what has been killing my chickens. Then he chased it up the tree. It was a bear. So, not the culprit. But it came back again about 1/2 hr later. Now I notice my bird feeder has been taken down, so he was here last night too. Little brat.