This spring and summer the camp was a frequent destination spot for a family of black bears. One of the most memorable visits occurred in mid-May. I (Liz) was the only one at the camp. I was headed out to do Census work in the early evening. As I was walking from our house to where the car was parked (about 200 paces away from the house), I stopped in my tracks and made eye contact with a momma black bear in between me and the car!
Assessing the scene, I also saw two bear cubs behind her. I quickly realized that I would not be able to reach the car or get safely back to our house without having a personal encounter with the bears. I then decided to go into a nearby cabin and reassess my options. My heart was pounding at this point. How exciting to see three bears, and yet, how terrifying! I called my parents in Oregon and described the scene. Looking out the window, it appeared that the bears had left.
I went back outside and headed towards the car, only to see the momma bear again and this time she was closer! At that point I went back into the cabin and decided to stay there until Brent returned from his Census work that evening.
I watched intently as I saw the momma and bear cubs approach the dumpster. The momma bear climbed on top of the dumpster, clawed her way through the "bear-proof" dumpster lid and began flinging garbage everywhere for her cubs. I soon realized that the bears were having a picnic! This went on for some time and was quite entertaining.
Happy meal time.
One of the timid, yet curious bear cubs.
The next morning the bears were still at the camp. The momma bear was guarding the two cubs who were high up in the trees. She refused to move as long as her cubs were in the trees.
On another occasion, one of the bears showed up during our Music & Drama Camp. Brent, Stephen (the Camp Manager) and one of the camp counselors, decided to take matters into their own hands... they picked up stones and started chasing the bear away! This technique is not a good idea in most situations. However when you are at a camp and you need to ensure the safety of children, you want the bears to see the brave two-legged creatures and run away, lest they give chase and throw rocks. It was amusing to see three men with rocks in their hands running after the bear. It seemed to work, I don't remember seeing the bear too much after that. Living in the woods is always an adventure!
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