The Country Side of New Jersey
Close Encounter of the Bear Kind
Posted by Betty (Phillipsburg, United States) on 8 July 2008 in Animal & Insect.
On June 30th, this bear took apart our next door neighbor's garbage. We went next door to clean it up for her (she's going to be 90), and it came back. It then went down the street to the next garbage can and started sniffing out dinner when poor Josh came riding his bike up the hill...
Sammi insisted that I tell you all that Josh is her friend!
Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia
Amazing story and amazing image. That is one huge bear.
8 Jul 2008 5:19am
@Michael Skorulski: The forester was in our office today, when I showed him this photo he said that it is one of the bigger males on our mountain! He lives about a mile down the road and there is a bear den about 200 yards from his house.
Marion from Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Pretty scary for Josh (Sammi's friend). That is one good looking bear though. Reminds me (why I'm not sure) of the song from the Jungle Book called the Bear necessities. Great pictures.
8 Jul 2008 5:34am
@Marion: Josh was pretty shaken, we were just glad he saw it and stopped!
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
It looks like the Bear Aware (http://www.bearaware.bc.ca/mission.htm) program there. "Feeding bears, even unintentionally, is against the law in BC."
AFTER THAT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: These are mighty fine shots. Josh should be careful, though. I have seen how fast bears can move.
8 Jul 2008 6:33am
@Michael Rawluk: It's illegal to feed them in New Jersey, also. For that reason we do not put our our garbage until the morning they are going to pick it up... the bears know which day people put it out! Sammi and Josh have seen them up close several times! Last week we saw one every day!
eddy from tehran, Iran
what an interesting story, the image tells the story obviously !
8 Jul 2008 8:12am
@eddy: Thanks, Eddy.
Barbara from Florida, United States
Amazing site. That is one big bear. At first I didn't see the person on the bike. How startling is that (to both bear and person) to come around the corner. It could have been a closer encounter if the bear had turned into the street just as the bike was there.
This is in daylight too, the bear must be hungry.
Nice of you to look after your elderly neighbor.
8 Jul 2008 9:22am
@Barbara: One thing I have learned here in "bear country" as that there is NO time of day they are around more... we have seen them at all times of the day and night! The bear is also lucky that Josh wasn't a car!
@Ana Lúcia: Thank you.
Betsy Barron from Glenmoore, United States
I can't believe these bears in your neighborhood!! and the snakes, too! nice capture!!
8 Jul 2008 11:09am
@Betsy Barron: I can't believe all the wildlife this year, either! Don't know if I'm more aware because I want to get photos... or there are just more animals! Thanks!
Judy from Brooksville-Florida,, United States
Wow.........a closer call for Josh than he knew! Better him than your elder neighbor, though.
It seems they are becoming a nuisance in your area.
8 Jul 2008 11:24am
@Judy: That was an experience, Yolanda and her walker... wanted to see the bear and out on her front patio! Then the bear coming back down the hill and all of us trying to herd a 90 year old woman back into the house! Luckily the commotion turned the bear into and down the street. June is breeding season for them, so the wildlife people told me they are much more active. It will calm down later in the summer.
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
I'll remember to bring bread an honey when I visit you, and Hi there Josh glad you made it ;) Wonderful photo and story Betty ;)
and what an angel you are
8 Jul 2008 11:58am
@Lorraine: Thanks, Lorraine... but please leave the honey home! :-)
Earnest from Oklahoma, United States
Something tells me that this bear will soon get a trip to the far woods... Must be very interesting living where you do.
8 Jul 2008 12:03pm
@Earnest: It gets more interesting every year... there are more bears. When I moved here in 1973, it was unheard of to see a bear! It is exciting, though.
MJ from Delaware, United States
great shot betty.... maybe one day I will get a shot of the ones in our area>>>>>>
8 Jul 2008 12:09pm
@MJ: Thanks, MJ! Keep the camera handy... I know you do!
@Helma: Thank you, Helma.
Cheryl from Texas, United States
OMG..did Josh survive the bear?? nice capture! you must be in north jersey!!
8 Jul 2008 12:19pm
@Cheryl: Yes, he survived... shaken up and a little scared. But he and Sammi went off for a walk/ride and were okay after that. Yes, I'm in Warren County in northwest New Jersey.
Tracey from New Port Richey Florida, United States
beautiful shot. guess he didnt find what he wanted.
8 Jul 2008 12:41pm
@Tracey: His meal was interrupted... thanks, Tracey.
Tracey from White Hall, United States
Poor Josh! I am not sure if my underwear would have made it through that ordeal! I have only seen 1 bear in the wild and it was walking down the side of a highway in Virginia! Can't say that I would have had the presence of mind to pick up the camera!
8 Jul 2008 12:47pm
@Tracey: He's okay! Although... I haven't seen him on his bike since then!!! :-) I take my camera everywhere, and that day Sammi alerted us to the bear next door, and she and her mother walked over... I grabbed my camera and then walked over. It was a little nerve wracking since the bear took it's prize from Yolanda's garbage and went into the woods and I didn't know where it was!
Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom
Well that is a scary situation, from what I've heard they can really get up to speed. What a great duo shot.
8 Jul 2008 4:57pm
@Observing: You can't out run them! Thanks!
Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States
Wow, Betty - a nicely journaled editorial on the growing urban interface. I'm glad Josh saw the bear before making that turn.
8 Jul 2008 5:11pm
@Stephen Phillips: Thank you, Stephen! We saw Josh coming and held our breaths (I was snapping away)!
Scotfot from Kabul, Afghanistan
I hope you had a long lens :-) great picture, Can't wait to see what you get next in your neighbourhood!
8 Jul 2008 10:04pm
@Scotfot: I was at 400mm taking these, not about to get too close!
Craig from Vacaville, California, United States
You live in quite a place! Great shot!
9 Jul 2008 12:43am
@Craig: Thank you, Craig! I'm beginning to realize that.
MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom
You certainly get a variety of animals where you live Betty, a great couple of shot's, glad that Josh escaped unharmed.
9 Jul 2008 1:29am
@MaryB: Thank you, Mary.
