The Country Side of New Jersey
Neighborhood Bears
Posted by Betty (Phillipsburg, United States) on 31 May 2008 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.
This bear, along with its mate, visited the neighborhood on May 28th.
My daughter would not let me get out of the car, but did let me step one foot out and leave one foot in... at that point, he got up and turned and looked at me and I jumped back in the car and closed the window!
So far, there have been ten different bears in our neighborhood in the last month! This guy was rather large! Tomorrow a photo of both of them.
shahab from Qazvin, Iran
Wow!Awesome!It`s really fantastic living where the bears live too!
31 May 2008 8:24am
@shahab: It is fantastic, but you have to be very aware every time you step outside!
@Craig: Thanks, Craig.
lisa v from gawler, Australia
whoa! one good reason to not be living in america :D
31 May 2008 10:16am
@lisa v: The good thing is that they are black bears, and they usually just walk away... so far! The worse thing they have done here in northwest New Jersey is some house breakins for food.
Chris from South Jersey, United States
what a photographic opportunity (although a bit of a scary one!!). Great shot - keep that long lens!!!
31 May 2008 10:32am
@Chris: Wish I had a longer one!! LOL :-) May and June we see a lot of bears here, then is calms down a little. These people insist on feeding the birds, so of course they attract other animals!
@saeed: Real scary when they look right at you!
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
Bet you two giggled away after lol I love all animals, and I'm sorry they're hungry but i hope they don't hurt anyone, great photo Betty :)
31 May 2008 11:05am
@Lorraine: No one has been hurt so far, Lorraine. In Sussex County, a couple of campers had encounters, but not seriously hurt. Yes, we giggled and were really excited. Told our next door neighbors they were there so they went down to see them... they were just down the road from us! It's exciting to have photo opportunities, but scary to be so close to them. I feel bad that they are losing their habitat in New Jersey, and the opinion is that it's the bear's fault. They were here long before us!
Ron from Saint Louis, United States
Yikes! What a sight! Looks like you managed to maintain your composure and snap a very steady shot ... luckily you maintained a rather healthy distance (375 mm). What an experience to be driving along in the car and casually look over to see a bear wandering in someone's yard! I look forward to tomorrow's shot ...
31 May 2008 11:09am
@Ron: It's a great experience since this house is three houses down from mine! We always look there for the bears because these people insist on feeding the birds and that always draws the bears! It's actually illegal to feed the bears in New Jersey and there's a hefty fine if you are caught! These neighbors seem to ignore that.
@Michael Skorulski: They are beautiful animals! Thanks, Michael.
Earnest from Oklahoma, United States
Rather large seems to be quite and understatement... I would much rather walk through woods full of spiders than bears!
31 May 2008 11:50am
@Earnest: I have to think about that one, Earnest! :-) We just don't walk in the woods at all anymore. Especially behind my house, it's swampy and the bears like the cool and wet when it's hot.
Christopher from Milton, United States
You can feel his power as you look at this. Amazing.
31 May 2008 11:52am
@Christopher: I don't think I want to come home and find this in front of my house!
Alun Lambert from cheshire, United Kingdom
Oh my god thats a big bird, just to think all we get pinching the bird food is squirrel :)
31 May 2008 12:31pm
@Alun Lambert: The funny part of was... later a bird was in front of the bears picking in the grass and the bears were eating out of the bird feeder! :-)
MJ from Delaware, United States
Great shot betty..... I am jealous... we haven't seen any lately... Good framing
31 May 2008 3:11pm
@MJ: That's because all your bears heard about the good eats on our mountain... and they all came over here!!! :-) Thanks, MJ.
Harald from Frankfurt am Main, Germany
What a wonderul and dangerous encounter. A great shot and i'm looking forward to the other pictures.
31 May 2008 3:58pm
@Harald: Thanks, Harald!
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
I photographed a momma bear and two babies yesterday.
This is a wonderful shot. The house and all the other stuff gives the bear perspective.
31 May 2008 4:01pm
@Michael Rawluk: Are you going to post some photos, Michael? Thanks for your comment.
Barbara from Florida, United States
Wow! A great shot and fabulous story. I am like you in that it is a thrill to see such magnificent creatures. That look this one is giving you is daunting. I will put on hold my opinion of wildlife losing their habitat and the ignorance of people. Great shot.
31 May 2008 4:33pm
@Barbara: Thanks, Barbara! I have tremendous respect for them!
Anita from West Nottingham, United States
Betty: I would find it rather disturbing to have bears (and this is a huge one) feeling so free in my neightborhood!
31 May 2008 6:32pm
@Anita: Well, Anita... my "neighborhood" is on top of Scotts Mountain (in New Jersey they are not huge) and mostly forest. I have forty acres of woods behind me and a mountain in front of me and the rest is farmland. So, we are really in the middle of their habitat! We just have to be very aware when we step outside. Right now they are very active because its breeding season. Later in the summer you don't see them as often.
Evelyne Dubos from Le Mans, France
It's really incredible. What a chance to be at this scene !!
31 May 2008 6:40pm
@Evelyne Dubos: It was very exciting... mostly because he is bigger than most bears we see!
Marion from Nanaimo, BC, Canada
I have so enjoyed all the comments. What a big fellow. I don't think I would want him in my back yard. We have brown bears here on the Island (Vancouver Island) and the occasional one wanders through a yard from time to time. This is a wonderful picture Betty. I got quite a kick out of the one foot out of the car and the other in. Better to be safe than sorry. Look forward to tomorrow's pic.
31 May 2008 9:58pm
@Marion: Our black bears are like your brown bears, if you don't feed them they just wander through from time to time. No one else in this area feeds the birds or other animals because of the bears and the #1 warning from Fish and Wildlife is do NOT feed the birds when the bears are active. These people not only have at least five or six bird feeders, but spread corn on the ground for the turkeys and deer! Last year they received a warning from Fish and Wildlife. Although, it makes good photo opportunities, it's dangerous.
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
Wow, our dog gets offended because we have the occasional opossum or raccoon in our yard. She'd absolutely freak out if something like this lumbered onto our property. I am glad we don't have to deal with this reality down here.
31 May 2008 10:30pm
@Viewfinder: A forester that lives down the road said that there are 18 bears on this mountain! I have seen ten of them... two mothers with triplets, and this pair.
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
What I wanted to say is this is a fabulous shot of this big bear; you're pretty nervy to get this close. They are very fast on their feet, and can break car windows if they get a mind to be frisky.
31 May 2008 10:32pm
@Viewfinder: That was very much on my mind during this encounter, VF. That's why my daughter was in the car with the engine running and I shot through the window or with one foot in the car and one out! Jess wouldn't let me get out of the car totally! I realized he could have been on us in a flash!
Judy from Brooksville-Florida,, United States
Oh Betty, your daughter was wise to warn you. I like the "one foot out - one foot in" stance you used to capture this magnificent shot!
31 May 2008 10:50pm
@Judy: She knows me well, I would get out of the car (but stay close). But this guy was so big and they can move so fast, that she was absolutely right! We were maybe 100-120 feet from them. Thank you, Judy.
Daroru from Amagasaki, Japan
Really incredible. Will the neighbours get another warning (or worse) from Fish and Wildlife because of this?
1 Jun 2008 10:00am
@Daroru: There is a $1,000 fine for feeding the bears!
@Daniel: Bigger than you usually see around here.
Konica Minolta MAXXUM 7D
1/125 second
F/6.7
ISO 320
375 mm (35mm equiv.)