CARNIVORES: Bear Stories - Part X

For years I spent 25 days or so in Canada flyfishing. Then for several years I spent 25 days or so in Canada photographing wildlife. Many of those photographic journeys were in search of Bears. There are about 800,000 Black Bears in North American, about 60% of which are found in Canada, and 20% (160,000) in British Columbia.  That is a lot of Bears. Surely you should be able to find some. Well, that all depends on where you look -- and when. As I have said before, you have to put yourself in the place of "most potential." But, then there is luck. You could be walking (or driving) through an area where a bear had been two minutes earlier -- or, will be two minutes from then. I figure in have been in the right place at the right time .... about 400 times or so. Here are some photos from my journeys through British Columbia:

In this case, this Black Bear started walking in my direction. He didn't appear to be interested in me but in some wildflowers that happened to be between him and me. Once I realized that was his intention I simply took several steps backward until he stopped to eat. Then continued a couple of more steps and snapped some more photos:

Here is a case where I came across an adult Black Bear that didn't want to be around me. He didn't run off, as they do sometimes, but he walked away. I got a couple good shots as he left. As I have said before if Bears run or even walk away, I don't follow. I assume they don't want to be around me. I respect that:

In this next case this Black Bear was foraging along the road. I saw him from a couple hundred yards away. I immediately slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road once I got close. I stayed in my truck, window down, and started taking photos. He kept coming in my direction as he ate. This allowed me to get this wonderful closeup:

In this next case, he was also coming in my direction as he ate. Only this time I was on foot. I gave him a little more distance, but soon thought it best to leave -- slowly and quietly:

In the last photo, this Bear didn't seem the slightest bit interested in me. I was about ten feet higher than him looking down in this trough. He was very happy just eating the vegetation, with an occasional glance to see what was happening around him: