New Year Babies: Black Bear

The New Year brings new life and new hope. So why not a series on Wildlife "Babies"?


Black Bear Cubs are just about the cutest babies in the wild:

Mother with her very young cubs in Alberta, Canada

Black Bear Cub in Yellowstone National Park

Animals in Trees: Bears

I thought I'd do a fun little series on Animals in Trees. Of course, the most common would be squirrels -- and I include some squirrels at the end. 

Today, Bears:

Bears like trees. They go into trees for two reasons: First, for safety they may scamper up a tree to get out of reach of a potential predator -- humans. But secondly, for food. In the Spring it is fresh easily digestible buds or flowers. In the fall it is berries or pine nuts.

Cinnamon Black Bear going after pine nuts in Wyoming

Young Black Bear learning to climb

Young Cinnamon Black Bear trying to impress mom

Black Bear in Alberta, Canada going after new buds

Black Bear in Ramsey Canyon, Arizona

31 Days of My Best for 2014

December 2, 2014

Female Black Bear with her Cub

Bears of Yellowstone National Park - Part V

On my first afternoon at Yellowstone (this trip) I came across a traffic jam. Guessing "bear" I pulled off the road immediately and started walking -- long before I saw a bear. Finally, a sow with two cubs. They were about 50 yards away, down an embankment. Trying to walk down the embankment to get closer was not a good idea (even if there weren't four Park Rangers there to escort you out of the Park). 

There are many bears in Yellowstone. Probably one of the very best places in the US for viewing bears. Because it is a National Park the bears live there in safety and are usually not threatened by people.  

My experience has been that roughly 1/2 the time you come across a bear in the wild (not Yellowstone), the bear runs away. About 1/4 of the time it walks away. In neither of those cases do I follow or track the bear. The bear has told me it doesn't want me around. I heard him. And I respect that. So that leaves 1/4 of the time for me to get a photograph as long as I don't "screw-up."

Yet, in Yellowstone, rarely does the bear run or even walk away. It continues to do exactly what it wanted.

At Yellowstone, bears are accustomed to people. A wildlife photographer who is used to and familiar with photographing bears could get safely closer than Park Rangers normally allow. However, that is just not a good idea. We need to set a good example. Because the last thing we need is to have someone unfamiliar with bear behavior get too close or do something that disturbs the bear and creates an "attack." Not good for bear or person.

Although a little further away than I would have liked, I did get a few nice photos:

Two Black Bear Cubs "Wrestling"

The Two Cubs Walking Toward Their Mom

The Mom Stands Up to Look Out Over the Field. Cubs Alongside Her.

Bears of Yellowstone National Park: Part IV

Late one morning during my Yellowstone trip I could see up ahead many cars jammed alongside the road. I could see lots of people as well. (It was at a bend in the road and I was able to see through the sparse number of trees as to what was happening). I could see that many people were running or walking fast back down the road in my direction. I guessed it was a bear and that the bear was coming in my direction. So, I parked off the road and waited. Sure enough the Cinnamon Black Bear came toward me and then up this pine tree in search of nuts. Because I was already in position I got some wonderful photos. Here's one of them:

Cinnamon Black Bear

Bears of Yellowstone National Park: Part III

The third morning, again out before dawn, I came across this Black Bear among the sagebrush. This time I was the only one there. I stayed with the Bear taking photos for about 20 minutes and left -- still no one else there. I like this "hidden picture" photo best:

Black Bear

Bears of Yellowstone National Park: Part II

Continuing with my trip to Yellowstone. On another morning I got up before dawn and headed out to an area where I had seen bears before. It was an area filled with wildflowers. When I arrived there was one other car. And low and behold a beautiful Black Bear was foraging through those wildflowers. I didn't stay long because there were other places I wanted to go before the crowds arrived. But I was there long enough to get this photo. What a lovely sight:

Black Bear among the Wildflowers

Bears of Yellowstone National Park

Finding Bears at Yellowstone:

There are two ways of finding bears at Yellowstone National Park. Get up just before dawn and go looking for a bear ............  or get up later and go looking for a large crowd of people standing alongside a road.

After spending four nights in Yellowstone last week, I can attest that either way works. One morning I decided to get to the same spot I saw a sow with her two cubs the afternoon before. (I figured that a mother bear with cubs this age would stay within a couple square miles of their den).  As I approached this spot (there were two cars in front of me) I saw the sow and two cubs cross the road. 

I immediately pulled off the road, grabbed my camera, got out of my Jeep, and started taking photos. It was a wonderful experience as the bear cubs played happily in and among the trees. After about 30 minutes there were about 8 other people, all enjoying the "show." Eventually, the cubs went high up into a nearby tree, the mother followed and then they all settled in for a nap. It appeared that they would be there for awhile and by this time it was getting to be quite crowded with people, so I gave up my spot and moved on. Here are a few of those photos:

My Favorite Photo from Yellowstone National Park

I am back from my photo trip to Yellowstone National Park which included sides trips to Seedskadee and Ouray National Wildlife Refuges.

I am still going through photos, but will give you a "sneak-peak" with my favorite so far:

Black Bear with Cub

Black Bear Cub

Continuing with photos from my wonderful experience with a Black Bear and her two cubs in Jasper National Park, Canada, Today, a photo of this little cub waving at me. It took a good 30 minutes to get close enough to this cub without him or his mom feeling threatened. The result is one of my favorite photos:

Black Bear Cub

Note: All of my wildlife photos are from the wild; no zoos, no wildlife “farms” or ranches – no remote motion-sensor cameras, no tracking dogs, no electronic tracking devices, no “traps”, just simply photographed as predator and/or prey as found naturally  in the wild.   Photos are untouched and appear as seen through the lens. 

Black Bear with Cubs

While I think Black Bears are magnificent animals, their cubs are adorable. Several years ago while in Jasper National Park I came across a Black Bear with her two cubs. She let me spend about 45 minutes with them. It was one of my fondest and most cherished wildlife experiences. I have four photos from that series that I call "5" Star. I could have spent more time with them, but I ran out of film and had to go back to town to get more. (One of the many advantages digital has over film).  Here's the first of those "5" Star photos:

Black Bear with cubs

Black Bear V

Continuing now with my "5" Star Black Bears is one of my favorites. It was late May and the trees were starting to bud with new leaves. I took our older daughter (Erin) with me for a five or six day photo trip to Wells Grey in British Columbia and Jasper National Park in Alberta. While in Jasper National Park we came across this Black Bear already in the tree. He would pull a branch with his right arm to his mouth and strip it of all the leaves. Then he would do the same with his left arm. When he could no longer reach a new branch he would climb the tree another couple of feet. When he would climb the tree the trunk would sway back and forth. However, when he got to where he wanted to be he "settled in" and the trunk didn't move an inch.  After about two hours of watching and photographing, it started getting dark so he climbed down the tree, took another look at us, and then off he went into the forest.  That's Mount Robson in the background.  This photo (both as a greeting card and as a framed photo) is my biggest seller. It also appears on the cover of the book, "A Bear Tale" by Christi Killien.

Black Bear

Black Bear IV

I was driving out to Tunkwa Lake, British Columbia when I saw this female Black Bear with her two cubs. While I did get photos of all three, this is the one I liked, simply because she stood up to look at me.  So, it gets "5" stars:

Black Bear

Black Bear III

First, a welcome to new visitors this past week: Taiwan, Lithuania, Switzerland, Belgium, Libya, Guatemala, Columbia, and Chile. Thank you. Christine and I hope you enjoy visiting us and our love of nature.

Today's "5" Star photo is another Black Bear. This one I found near the Continental Divide on Mt. Sinclair, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada. It was a fully grown (500 pound) male enjoying the dandelions on the mountainside. He has obviously spotted me, and in another moment will run down the mountain and out of sight. I got this photo before he "got away." Look how beautiful his coat is:

Black Bear

Black Bear II

Continuing with my "5" Star Black Bears. This photo was taken in the Chiricahua Mountains (Arizona) in September of 2011. I had been photographing this Bear for about 20 minutes when all of a sudden he started walking toward me. I took that as a sign and slowly backed away in a diagonal direction. As I said yesterday, Bears must be respected. In this case, he told me he wanted to stay in the area but wanted me to leave. And, so that is precisely what I did. I said "thank you" for the photo opportunity and left. Of all those photos, the last one is the one I liked best:

Black Bear: Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Note: If you would like to comment about one of my photos -- or the story that goes with it, please feel free to do so. I do read the comments and will be happy to respond if appropriate.

Black Bear

First, a big thank you to those from around the world who visit my blog every day, including: Sri Lanka, Spain, Armenia, Ukraine, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Turkey, Jamaica, Brazil, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Romania, Moxambique, Nicaragua, Finland, Italy, Hungry, Japan, Israel, Belarus, South Korea, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Australia, Pakistan, Germany, Poland, France, Slovakia, Serbia, Qatar, New Zealand, Mexico, India, Greece, Canada, UK, and the US.

 

What is heartwarming to me, is that we all share something in common: a love of nature. 

Now, to continue my series on "5" Star Photos, we come to Black Bears. Over the years I have spent a good deal of time looking for and photographing bears. As you will see, my style is to be an unobtrusive observer where, in a few miraculous moments, a brief relationship transpires creating a photo which places the viewer in the wilderness -- interacting with the animal just as I did. 

The key is being able to get close enough without fear or aggression, with just love and compassion. You must be patient and willing to pass up a photo if an animal is disturbed by you. Bears must be respected and you must feel privileged that they are willing to let you photograph them. Standing 15 to 20 feet from a bear is an exhilarating and memorable experience but it can only be done with patience, love and respect.

My experience is that 50% of the time you see a bear it will run away. 25% of the time it will walk away (in which case I do not follow or track it because it has told me it doesn't want to be around me). This means 25% of the time I should be able to get a good photograph -- as long as I don't "screw-up."

My first Black Bear Photo I'll show you was taken in Ramsey Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Southern Arizona. This fairly young (150 pound) bear was going from tree top to tree top foraging on the leaves --- as if he were a squirrel. I took many photos, including close-ups, but thought this one told the whole story:  (Click on the photo to enlarge).

Black Bear

A Big Thank You!!

It all started three years ago today. My first post on my first blog site. In those three years I have had 63,206 visitors. While not exactly Julie/Julia territory, I am nonetheless thankful for all of those who chose to visit. And, while I am aware that it is the "World Wide Web", I have been stunned that I have gotten so many visitors from Russia, Germany, India, Australia, The Netherlands, France and Mexico. The leading three are the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. which is not quite as surprising because they make up the lion's share of our B&B guests. There are several very faithful visitors who mention something to me on the phone or through email. And, there are a few faithful that comment frequently on my site including Rohrerbot who inspires me to continue.

As for the posts themselves, here are the most frequented pages:

Yellowstone National Park: 2005 Page Views, 11/29/2009
Cinnamon Black Bear

Prickly Pear Cactus Blossoms: 818 Page Views, 4/26/10
Prickly Pear Cactus in Bloom

Eating: Carnivores: 790 Page Views, 6/30/10
Grey Wolf

Gila Monster: 569 Page Views, 5/4/10
Gila Monster

Black Bear Scolding: 524 Page Views, 11/30/9
Black Bear with Cuibs

Thank you all again.

Dennis

Bears and Dandelions

I was reminded this morning of a trip to Alberta. I was going over the Continental divide -- which also separated Alberta from British Columbia, when I looked in my driver's side rear view mirror and saw a large Black Bear on the side of the mountain. What I realized from this was that I could NOT see the bear when I passed it because of the angle, but could see him once past because the angle was quite different. So, now as I drive in the mountains, especially around moderate or hairpin turns I glance at the rear view mirror just in case. Saw a Bobcat that way several years later. Anyway, in today's photos, first the Black Bear after I stopped the car and walked back toward him, and second, moments later when he decided he wanted more privacy and darted down the mountainside.

Black Bear among the Dandelions

Black Bear now running down the mountain

Black Bear Archives - Part II

A few more Black Bear photos - rarely seen:

Black Bear walking through a burn area in Yellowstone.

Black Bear Cubs in mountains north of Flagstaff, Arizona

Black Bear sleeping under a pine tree, Yellowstone

Black Bear Cub climbing tree in Alberta, Canada

Black Bear in forest on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Black Bear somewhere in British Columbia, Canada

Bears out of the Archives

I searching through my photos I came across some old bear photos I've never used. So, brush off the dust here they are:

Somewhere in British Columbia, Canada

Ramsey Canyon, Arizona

Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada