Mountain Lane Homesteaders

A Night Visitor in the Neighborhood

11:02 AM, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 .. Posted in Living in the Woods .. 18 comments .. Link

We'd been hearing the rumors going about. Although we had good reason to believe them we had no first hand experience. So we were cautious, but we really needed a good dose of reality before we accepted rumors as facts.

Sunday night around midnight we were laying in bed and I heard a noise. I didn't know if it was one of the kids rustling around upstairs or something outside. There are lots of stray cats around that sometimes get into the trash. Sam got up and went to the window on the side of the house that's right by where we keep our trash cans and shined a flashlight out the window. There, not 10 feet from that window, stood not a cat but a HUGE black bear digging in our trash. So the rumors we'd been hearing were indeed TRUE! At first Sam called me over to look outside so I could see it, but then he was afraid to shine the light on it again. Usually very excited over wildlife spotting, Sam was visably upset. He said, "Darc this thing is HUGE. It's the biggest bear I have ever seen. It will SCARE you!"

I couldn't believe my own reaction. Normally I am all up for the adventure of the moment but all of a sudden I just could NOT look. If Sam was that affected it had to have been enormous. Our cabin is not made like a regular house with exterior walls/insulation/interior walls. It is bat and board. We have a homemade door for crying out loud with a little chain as our lock. I'm not thinking that it would be stopping the monster bear that was in our trash of he really decided he wanted in!

So anyway, Sam was not planning to be unprepared if this bear decided it wanted to visit us INSIDE. He loaded up the handgun and sent me upstairs to get Caleb's shotgun for added backup. We both felt safer up in the loft! We woke Caleb up and told him to load his shot gun. Sam went back downstairs to put in a call to the police. We didn't want them to come out but were calling just as a precautionary thing in case he had to shoot the bear. We do not have a bear tag for hunting purposes and there are severe penalties for anyone shooting a bear without a tag. So all the while Sam is getting ready to protect our family from this huge animal if it should decide to come in for a snack, I am imagining my husband behind bars because bears around here have just about as many rights as humans! I felt a little better when the police told Sam that if he felt threatened he should shoot the bear but they never DID say he wouldn't be put away for life. (Well, they would probably just take away our firearms and ban us from hunting for a period of time but you know, it was midnight, the adrenaline was high and so were my imaginations).

How we decided to just go back to bed and hope the bear would just leave I do not know, but that's exactly what we did. It had it's snack and went away. But we spent a good long time laying awake with our 2 guns loaded and ready just in case. Monday morning Sam talked to the people at the fish and wildlife to make them aware of the bear that's roaming the area. Basically he wanted to know what actions we could take if necessary without getting into trouble and is now feeling much more relaxed because they told him the same thing as the police did, if we feel threatened we should shoot it! YEAH. They also said that others in this area had called about the bear as well and that they would back us up if we had to shoot it. That is very good news!!!

Monster bear has not been back since Sunday night. We spoke with one of our neighbor ladies yesterday about it and she has had it on her property as well. While Sam and I have only been wilderness dwellers now for just a little over a year, she lives "higher up and further in" and has for years. She told us that when she saw it outside and the dogs weren't chasing it off, she went outside and waved her arms around growling at it and it took off. People who've been around black bears will tell us that they don't like people and are more scared of us than we are of them and they will run away rather than attack. Fine. Tell me that all you want. My kids go up to the county road at 7:30 in the mornings to catch the bus. It's still dark out then. I'm pretty sure they aren't interested in testing out this theory!

So the plan is simple. If the bear is smart enough not to return, it is safe. If he decides he likes roaming about our 7 acres.....well, he's not welcome here. We're all for enjoying the wildlife as long as we're not afraid it might eat us!

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12:16 PM, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 .. Posted by j706nancyr
Oh my gosh Darcy, A BEAR? We just don't see any of those here in middle GA. I would have probably wet my pants in fear!LOL
So if you have to shot it, do you get to keep the meat? I don't even know...do people eat bear meat?
Well I am glad he/she didn't decide to come inside. Ya'll be careful out there, and stay safe!
Nancy
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12:25 PM, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 .. Posted by mc2rwe
Well Darcy your neighbor lady was correct... you can scare black bears off with a lot of noise and such. Grizzly is another story. And I also would not want to be the one person in history to disprove the "noise" theory.... I just love the way you tell a story...

Kat
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8:38 PM, Wednesday, October 25, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle
Man, a monster bear right outside the house?!!! I bet yall will be looking over your shoulders a lot when you're outside. There have been spottings of bears around here but they pretty much stay way out of sight. I'm sure you have lots more. Hey, I copied you and posted pics of my house today. ;o ) I was glad to see you stopped by for a visit.
Wow Darcy...

6:20 AM, Thursday, October 26, 2006 .. Posted by MissionaryMom
We've had a couple of run ins with bears this year too. It is always an adrenaline producing moment. One was even on our porch! We got some "bear spray" for hiking, as a precaution, and our friends always hike with their handgun in their backpack. We don't have one - yet. The men have been discussing some extremely large bear prints around the trash pit lately. We got snow last night again, and I am hoping that will encourage it into hibernation. The night before last the dogs were barking all night long, which usually indicates something is afoot, since they don't usually bark unless there is a bear or stranger about the place.

I'm glad you are safe.

Carol
Yeah!

9:12 AM, Thursday, October 26, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66
You told your bear story, good girl! I have been searching the internet this morning for graphics of bears to send you, but all of them look cuddly and cute - not big and black!!! Glad it didn't come back - hope it doesn't. Hugs - Chris
The Bear Necessities

8:26 PM, Thursday, October 26, 2006 .. Posted by pamasey
Hi Darcy...It's Pam! Just wanted to say thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment of encouragement...thought I'd visit yours and return the favour.
...Wow!! Do you ever have stories to tell around the campfire!...or, perhaps may I suggest staying indoors at least until hibernation season is well underway?

Your lifestyle is truly inspirational! Thanks for sharing.

Pam
Sheesh!

8:33 PM, Thursday, October 26, 2006 .. Posted by Ashli
I've had deer, rabbits, raccoons, possums, large rats, bats, birds, goats, dogs, cats, bobcats, and other regular visitors that many would just kind of go "Oh, isn't it cute?". We've even had a donkey visit from a neighbor at one time. This was, of course, back on our farm and not here in Chicagoland. But a BEAR!? I can only say "Gah!" I've seen them on property before. My aunt's house. Far off. I've never seen them as close as you just said! I'm so glad you're all safe!

And, an idea: Get garbage out of the way and indoors. I know, ew, but...bears go by scent and stomach...that's all they think about! Seal things that have strong odors in air tight cans if necessary. Don't burn trash, it makes the smell travel farther. Clean the area frequently where you do keep trash. Use ammonia, bleach or a strong borax mix if you have it. They also don't like bright lights or noises A radio playing can sometimes work. Any smell can bring bears but bleach, ammonia, moth balls, etc... clean up and he'll clear out!

I wish you all luck there. Bears are stubborn and it's hard to clean up and clear out everything they're attracted to, but if you do, he'll go to neighbors or elsewhere and find edibles where others are.

God bless, and stay safe!

Aaaaaak!

12:46 PM, Friday, October 27, 2006 .. Posted by erisarei
Um...yeah...I'd be peeing my pants if I were in that situation. :)
There aren't many bears here in central IL. Just in zoos!
Oh MY-

4:05 PM, Sunday, October 29, 2006 .. Posted by lerdman4
What a herific site that must have been I can't even imagine! I am still in awwww I can't even think what I would have done, probably fainted.
Lisa
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8:21 AM, Monday, October 30, 2006 .. Posted by happymama
How scary!!! Neat, but scary! I just love visiting your blog...you are living my dream. Minus the bear of course!
Blessings, Rossie
Hi Darcy!

8:15 AM, Wednesday, November 1, 2006 .. Posted by HarvestMom
Whew...scary! When we had tv..long ago lol! There was a Holiday Inn commercial that showed this guy instructing another guy to go up and box the bear on the ears... a lady says, "is he a bear expert?"..do you know the rest...?!
I loved looking at the pictures of your cabin...very inspiring. Not for my older children, but the husband and I and the littler ones think it would be great...:) My oldest son said one time..."Next they will have us running around in the woods clubbing animals...naked!" Where is your adventure boy!
Blessings to you, glad you're safe! Theresa
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1:43 PM, Sunday, November 5, 2006 .. Posted by urbanfarmgirl
Wow. I suppose bears are a part of mountain living, especially where you live. But I'd still be afraid!

My mind tends to jump to the worst conclusion when I'm afraid, too. I'd probably have made my kids come sleep in the room with me, just so I felt better. (They're little, and I'm easily scared by large, hairy animals. =)
Wow

6:57 AM, Wednesday, November 8, 2006 .. Posted by Jonash2004
I had to share your bear story with my husband, and then my in-laws ... you adventure with the bear is making it's rounds in central Kansas! ;)

Hope ya'll are still okay!
Ashley
Wow!

10:23 AM, Sunday, November 12, 2006 .. Posted by mdonohue
I'd be with you Darcy - if my husband says it's huge, I wouldn't even want to look! You sure have to be careful with the bears that get the taste of garbage. The ones we have here, if they are garbage bears, aren't afraid of humans - making noise and lights and such don't scare them anymore. We don't have a good spot for our garbage yet, so we end up keeping it inside - luckily we have strong doors! We had a momma with 3 cubs hanging around this summer. They broke into our camper thru the window that we had left cracked open - little buggers! They also broke into our water shed and made a big mess of everything I had on the shelves - so what were they after? They ate some car wash! We heard it in the woods one night and were like you, had the shotgun ready just in case. Not sure that our fish and game are so strict around here about shooting for self defense. Our neighbor shot one a couple years ago, and I don't think anything happened to them - the bear was breaking into their back door. I sure don't want to find out though. I think our bears have moved up the hill, I haven't seen them lately. Hope yours are moving away too!
Bears - oh my!

1:34 PM, Sunday, November 12, 2006 .. Posted by angelstar
That must have been one scary experience! I've seen bears in my life, but I was young and didn't understand that they could EAT me! I would have been pretty frightened by your experience! Loved all the photos of your cabin. Take care and God bless!
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2:47 PM, Friday, November 17, 2006 .. Posted by BuzyMumof3sons
We have a boardwalk on the outside edge of the city and many people have spotted a black bear there. Thankfully I haven't seen it when the boys and I have gone!
Thanks!

6:39 PM, Monday, November 20, 2006 .. Posted by LaVonne
Hi Darcy! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice message. I haven't figured this all out yet. Wish there were a direct email link for the comments so I could thank people. Maybe there is and I don't know it yet!
Anyway, I've added you to my friends list as well! NIce to see another Montanan.
LaVonne
I'm dying.................

3:57 PM, Monday, November 27, 2006 .. Posted by bayleysmom17
for your next installment! I look forward to your continuing story and can't wait for the next part!

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About Me

My husband and I along with our 3 children, moved from Iowa to Montana 3 years ago fulfilling a long time dream of living in the mountains. Last summer we purchased and moved onto our bare land and are currently living in our home made cabin which has evolved from a shed to a barn to our cabin and future guest house. The foundation for what we now call "The big house" is dug and waiting for our next burst of energy!