• Tuesday-What'sUP April 28 - 09:16 am

Richard Barclay was outside recently, cooking dinner on the grill when an unexpected diner arrived, all dressed in black. Richard said he took the burgers off the grill, closed the garage door with camera in hand and went inside for supper. From the small size of this bear, he figures it is a two yr. old on its own for the first spring. He also told me he could count the ribs when the sun shone on it just right. In case you're wondering, Richard didn't give him any of those burgers he was cooking, but he said it hung around the yard and ate some grass and weeds that his wife Maggie, had pulled earlier... probably for their roots.

The bears are getting active in the Bootjack area, too. Dorothy (Dotsie) Stewart sent in the bottom photo, showing us the three bears that showed up in her yard this past week. Dotsie says this trio spent the winter hibernating in that little building they're standing in front of... she figures Musti, Baraga, and Baby Baraga have some first class lodging there in Bootjack! BUT... is that what I think it is? ;->

The bear who came to dinner, or rather the bear who tried to come to dinner? That's a little close for comfort, though. I guess the great smell of the cooking burgers led him there? Great pictures, Richard Barclay. And, Dorothy Steward always has awesome yard decorations, and this is no exception! Thank you for sharing! :-)

How cool to see a visiting bear in your yard! He/she looks like our first dog, a Schipperke, named Ben.

They are so cute, don't think I'll try to pet one though. Except maybe the 3 in Bootjack.

Later, in the same week the bear came for burgers, my wife and I were delivering some fresh baked rolls to a friend's home about three miles down the road. She turned off the truck in their driveway and as I opened the truck door she told me I might want to wait a bit - there was a bear (if not the original, it was its twin) coming around from the back of the house. I've since accused her of getting extra insurance coverage on me and trying to collect on it by sending me out to deliver bread and cook burgers! And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;D

Hey Richard, I am not siding with your wife, but can I have the truck? (Oh yeah, and the grill) :)

Great shots!

Alex, Maggie says you can have the grill after it goes down but the truck is registered in her name. That third shot had me leery as it kept coming toward me as I was talking to it. I went back into the house after taking that one, probably had enough grill scent on my clothes and hair to draw it in. We don't feed them nor put anything out to draw them in, but those lamb-burgers did smell tasty.

I think that sassy bear just wants your "yooper scooper". (Ha,HA)

Sure is a skinny little bear. Hope it finds a good Spring breakfast soon.

Aren't they the cutest little things???

One day while walking back from Schlatters Lake along the pole line we (4 of us) were confronted by a small bear.As we proceeded to go forward it gave us a side step, like it was going to attack but slowly stole into the woods. Our Northern Pike catch lived to another day.

Fairly common critters, as 1 was rounded up in Traverse City last week.

I still go to the Bear web site I was told about on this site back in January when the hibernating bear 'Lily' was about to give birth. She did give birth Jan 22nd, 2010 and the lil' girl was named Hope. Both mother and daughter left their den and are being tracked and video taped. Bears are not the scary movie hype protrayed in movies. I will try to post link to update anyone who would like to view daily postings on the whereabouts of the whole clan.
http://www.bear.org/website/lily-a-hope/live-den-cam.html

Dean Oswald out in the Newberry area, has the Oswald Bear Ranch. YEARS ago, he handed me a 6 month old bear cub that had a pamper on it. Snuggled right in like a human baby...it was the darling-est little thing....just huggable and adorable.