[56 / 9 / ?]
Hello /out/
This weekend I did a backpacking trip with one of my best friends since grade school, and we had a pretty unique and unsettling encounter with a black bear.
We got a little turned around on our way out of the valley we had camped in on the second morning and ended up on a different section of trail that we had taken in (trail was a 14 mile out and back). We had to climb down this old river bank, which was a crumbling sand cliff about 8 feet high. We decided to walk over to the edge of the forest and climb down from there, as the ledge was shorter and more of a slope. We pause at the top, deciding the best way to get down, chatting and making noise all the while. I reach down to grab a branch for support and take a full step down the ledge. Just then, I hear a noise in the bush and look up. In the brush, 6 feet from me, is a black bear. I can see the hairs on its body, not the fur, but the hairs, I could have probably leaned out and touched it. It had been completely obscured by the brush until I took that step down and my FOV changed. My survival instincts kicked in, and I slowly backed up saying "Hey bear, heeeey bear". As we backed up, I could see how well the bear blended into the dark forest background, and why we had missed it.
Overall, it was an exhilarating experience. What I am left with, however, is confusion. Why did an animal that is normally so shy and timid, allow us to get SO incredibly close to it. Was it stressed out, afraid of us? Or did it just not give a fuck about our presence. I'm at a bit of a loss. Any suggestions or knowledge would be much appreciated, and also share any predator/dangerous animal encounters you have had!
This weekend I did a backpacking trip with one of my best friends since grade school, and we had a pretty unique and unsettling encounter with a black bear.
We got a little turned around on our way out of the valley we had camped in on the second morning and ended up on a different section of trail that we had taken in (trail was a 14 mile out and back). We had to climb down this old river bank, which was a crumbling sand cliff about 8 feet high. We decided to walk over to the edge of the forest and climb down from there, as the ledge was shorter and more of a slope. We pause at the top, deciding the best way to get down, chatting and making noise all the while. I reach down to grab a branch for support and take a full step down the ledge. Just then, I hear a noise in the bush and look up. In the brush, 6 feet from me, is a black bear. I can see the hairs on its body, not the fur, but the hairs, I could have probably leaned out and touched it. It had been completely obscured by the brush until I took that step down and my FOV changed. My survival instincts kicked in, and I slowly backed up saying "Hey bear, heeeey bear". As we backed up, I could see how well the bear blended into the dark forest background, and why we had missed it.
Overall, it was an exhilarating experience. What I am left with, however, is confusion. Why did an animal that is normally so shy and timid, allow us to get SO incredibly close to it. Was it stressed out, afraid of us? Or did it just not give a fuck about our presence. I'm at a bit of a loss. Any suggestions or knowledge would be much appreciated, and also share any predator/dangerous animal encounters you have had!
