A bearable morning

It was a beautiful sunny day on June 16 2016 and I had decided to drive into Barry’s Bay. The time was 10:30 a.m.; Alex and Vicki were having a coffee on the deck overlooking the lake. I retrieved my truck keys, checked for my wallet and walked out the back door heading to my vehicle. As I looked up I spotted a big black bear sitting on my lawn not 20 steps away. He was sitting on his haunches and scooping up bunches of clover like he was enjoying a salad. He raised his head and looked at me. I swear he was thinking, “Hi Gib, hope you don’t mind if I help myself to some of your delicious clover.” The weird thing is I felt I knew this bear; somewhere in the past we had met and now here we were, saying hello again. The bear was not the least bit perturbed that I was standing so close to him, but I was uneasy.

At this point I turned and retreated into the house thinking I had to get some pics. I found the camera and ran to the window. He was up and moving. I had a pretty good idea where he was headed.

Running through the house, I exited through the basement door. I looked up at Vicki and Alex, exclaiming, “Big bear on the road,” and as I looked towards the road, the big fellow was entering a bush trail by our 911 location number. I eased closer to the bear, hoping to get a better photo as he proceeded down the trail.

The whole time I was letting him know I was following him. I repeatedly said, “I know what you’re up to, you’re looking guilty. I know what you’re up to, you’re feeling guilty.” The bear would not look at me; he knew he was guilty and I knew why.

We were about a third of the way to the point when the big lad stopped and slowly turned; he would not look at me. At this point I forgot about getting a good pic and was more intent on making a quick safe exit. So I repeated the words, “I know you’re guilty,” and retreated back to the road, towards the safety of our cottage. The bear followed and slowly walked back out to the road.

As he exited the bush by the 911 sign I tried to get a picture, he was magnificent! Unfortunately he was not cooperative and turned away from me.

What do I do? At this point I just shouted, “BOBBY!“

This Big Beautiful Bear stopped and slowly turned his head in my direction. He had a serious look on his face and seemed to be posing for me. Remembering to say, “Thank You,” I snapped some shots. He slowly turned back away from me and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared in the bush. I looked, I watched, I waited, I listened, but could catch no sign of him. I have always called the black bears “Black Ghosts.”

The sad part is I never saw him again. When I show the pics, I joke about doing the Bear Dance, I do believe “he led.”

Wow! Could that day get any better? Not too much later Alex said, “Dad, look on the point.”

There, playing in the water, were two fawns with their Mama standing close by. I again ran for my camera and took some great pics. What a wonderful day to share nature with family.

Just so you know, when I was talking to Bobby the Bear, I knew what he was up to. Mature bears follow the game trails looking for a easy meal in the spring. They know when the fawns are born and a smart old bear has made many a meal out of the fawns. The mother likes to hide her fawns close to water wherever possible.

I joke that I interrupted Bobby’s lunch and that leads to another story for another day .

Ahhh, the many absolute wonders of living with nature.

All photos Gil J. Glofcheskie

About the author:  Gil Glofcheskie, a Barry’s Bay native, grew up here and learned about the bush from his dad. After a career in the electrical construction industry, Gil and his wife Vicki retired to Madawaska Valley to enjoy lakeside living. The landscape, wildlife and local heritage inspire him to write, paint, travel and take photographs.