Normally I go out and holler, in my most threatening voice, at White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that come by to nibble in my yard. I seldom have to do that though, since there are Black Bears (Ursus americanus) up here and deer tend to avoid areas where there are bears.
BUT rather than holler at this precious little fawn following along behind its mom, I chose just to enjoy the moment. BTW, those spots help camouflage the fawn and will stay on its reddish-brown coat for 3 to 4 months.
These visitors made my day!
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Labor Day Weekend is just days away. Considered by many to be the end of summer. But there has been something lacking in my summer here in the mountains. Bears.
They arrive all set to eat all the apples out of the apple tree or the all the cherries out of the cherry tree. Breaking branches as they climb. I quickly get a few photos then chase them away. Waving my arms wildly and screaming at them. We have a thing going. They go away till the next time.
Early this spring a bear did show up. A dear, pathetic bear, badly suffering with sarcoptic mange. He looked miserable. Skin and bones, very little fur. I called wildlife officials and reported the sighting and was asked to call again if the bear returned. It did not return.
Since then there have been no bears. Extremely unusual. They always come into the yard and climb the apple tree, and the cherry tree.
I have mixed feelings about their arrival. They shouldn’t be here in the yard. Near humans. I always make them realize that they are not welcome. They have all the rest of the mountain to roam. But they always return. I get my photos and chase them away. Again and again. But not this year.
I assume the lack of bears is due to this mange. It causes hair loss, emaciation, loss of vision, and death. I see very little about the mange and black bears in the news. Just a slight mention here or there. Nothing to indicate my lack of bears. Just my assumption. I miss my bears. I hope I’m wrong about the mange.
Ah! That feels so good! Sure looks like it, but that isn’t what is happening here. Black bears, young, mature, female, male, all bears mark trees, utility poles and wooden sign posts along their paths of travel.
Most bears that do this marking are males during mating season. They do this marking by rubbing their scent on marking trees. Rubbing, rubbing, rubbing shoulders, neck, back and crown.
They’ll also claw and bite the marking tree (whether it is that wooden sign post, utility pole or actually a tree) often leaving great scars in the wood. Utility poles seem to be a favorite, employing this marking as a way to communicate, one bear to another.
