Wanna Be a Steader!

lions & tigers AND BEARS! OH MY!

OK, here's something I NEVER thought I'd be writing to you about...

Yes, I live in a semi-rural area...yes, there are deer, bobcats, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, kestrils, etc. all around here...BUT...I NEVER thought I would see BLACK BEARS less than 5 miles from my house!!!!!!

Saturday night after supper, I went out to the market.  The route I have to take goes through some nice rural areas and I enjoy the drive.  I even saw a beautiful doe trying to decide whether or not to cross the road - fortunately, she either waited until I passed or she changed her mind - and I ALWAYS enjoy seeing deer.  BUT, since I was by myself and it was a pretty night and I wasn't in a hurry, I thought I'd take a slightly longer, more rural way home.  As I had just come through the little burg of Pleasant Hill, I was just riding along towards home on St. Rt. 48 and WHAT should run out and cross the road in front of me but 2 black bears!!  OH MY!!!!!!    I slowed down and watched them scramble off through the plowed corn field at the side of the road! 

Now I know it was dark but, as I told the police (my hubby made me call - safely first, you know), I used to work at Lake Cumberland State Park in KY while in my 20s, I've SEEN black bear at night!!    At first I wondered if they had migrated up from southern Ohio b/c our deer population has exploded, but then my daughter reminded me that there is an animal sanctuary/farm locally and they might have possibly gotten out from there.  I haven't heard anything about it, nor seen anything on the news; I'll let you know if I ever hear about it.  I would imagine it would be something that the farm AND the police might want to keep a little quiet (so here I am putting it on the intenet!  HA!) so that people don't panic about their livestock and go out on a bear hunt.

Ahhh, such is life in little West Milton, Ohio! 

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Untitled Comment

11:01, 2006-Nov-14 .. Posted by thatday

I just moved from Medford, OR to Pendleton - and there were a number of times when bear would wander into town. Don't remember any damage - just some scared people. Not every day you run into a bear walking down Main Street.