We've still got some 'bears' .. Yay!!

'Howdy' ..

I'm a newbie here to DG .. but am mitey anxious to share some of our little Ozark wildlife experiences with you guys! So, if you'll have me - here I am! ..

In a nutshell .. we moved here to the NW section of Arkansas about 8 years ago. We built our home, right smack dab in the middle of unimproved land, bordered by National Forest. We love it!

Creating our vegetable garden spots, have proven quite a bit of a challenge and wee bit of work .. but by golly, we've got it whooped! hee We've also learned, and have proof - that rocks do breed!! .. hee .. The garden pics can come later, and on the proper threads ...

Some may would say, that it is 'unfortunate' .. that we built in what's also considered ideal Timber Rattler country; somewhat rocky, very hilly terrain. Our first few years have been 'touchy' to say the least .. with becoming acquainted with the booger vermin!!

Anyway .. This unimproved land, also serves as ideal wildlife habitat for quite a variety of other vermin also; deer, turkey, hog, bob cat, coyote, and bear!!

I do sincerely believe that the criiters actually felt like WE were imposing on THEM - and rightly so. I wholeheartedly agree - we did! They've finally realized, that they've got to reroute their paths around our house and immediate yard! hee hee See, we've cleared only what we've felt was required .. of the wonderful hardwood forests our property .. for the house, a place to park and turn around, a nice little garden spot up above us, and a few flower 'bed' areas .. and our .4 of a mile driveway! ha The rest .. is dedicated to vermin sprawl and habitat !!

See, we're realizing that can't just anybody sit on their front porch in the early morn, or late evening .. and be graced with such wonderful wild presence as the vermin we've heard and seen, and have had the pleasure of shooting - with my digital camera, that is !!!!!

Yep, during our first few years here, we were 'graced' and blessed, by several opportunities to view, what we felt like, was most likely the very same bear .. on numerous occasions. And, sometimes, a wee bit too close for comfort.

In a possibly futile attempt to shorten this story: for about the last 3 years .. we'd not heard, seen hide nor hair of any bear .. and we've been long worried, that after a local fella shot and killed a bear about 3 years ago, on a neighboring 'mountain' - the 'codger' just may have taken out the bear and/or family that claimed this general territory! Incidentally, this bears' hide came to his final resting place, over our very own wood heater/mantle! (That'll be left for another story one day!)

So, we feel that it's most excellent news .. that as of this morning, it has been determined .. that the bear are still here, very much alive and kicking! (best make that > climbing!!) We are completely beside ourselves with joyous relief !!

Here's three shots of one of the two bear cubs that were accompanying their momma .. that paid us a little visit .. and sent our chained up Heinz 57 variety mutt .. into a frenzy, once more!! Hee Hee YAY!! Although I was unable to fetch any pics of momma and the other sibling - they were close by, for we could see them further over in a heavier wooded area, and could hear them very well !!

Got a special request tho' ... Would you guys give me your opinion about the last pic that is posted here! Tell me if this little feller don't look like he was placed there on the tree - like he was velcroe'd !! .. LOL .. But he's real!!
Hope you enjoy the pics!

Magpye

This message was edited Mar 27, 2005 7:31 PM

('bear' with me .. I'm learnin'!!)

The 2nd BEAR CUB pic I mentioned ..

And the 3rd and final pic, of the BEAR CUB ...

Welcome to DG Magpye! I'm also an avid watcher of the wildlife. Though I have yet to see bears in my yard. I've seen plenty of their sign, and the fruit is coming on now,so they'll be here soon.
Thanks for sharing the photos, and you tell a wonderful story.

Wecome from pakistan , very cute kid bears , I want to have one??????????????

That just wouldn't work out Gumlla, they only look like teddy bears. Mostly just don't get between mama and her cubs and she will snort them to her and out of harms way... and unfortunately camera range as well.

Welcome Magpye, you are a great teller of stories. I will listen any time yu tell one. Those are wonderful bear pictures. Never seen the like. I am a little envious of your paradise - it used to be a daydream of mine.

Bears were a fairly common event when I lived in the Adirondack Mtns of upstate NY and I've seen where a yearling cub left two swatches of missing bark down the side of his roosting tree when Mom barked 'come here'.

That is just amazing that there are actually bears living so close to me. You are only about 6 hours away. Living in Texas all my life, it just seems so foreign. Oh wow, I just read that they can be found in SE Oklahoma. That is only a few hours away. Check out this link about Black Bears in Arkansas.
http://www.scsc.k12.ar.us/ReynoldsJ/

What great pictures of your bear cub! During the year we spent in Canada, it added a new dimension to walking in the bush, to be aware that one could meet a bear or a cougar round the next corner. We don't have any large land predators here in Australia, just the snakes to keep watch for while walking. I did see Black Bears on about 6 occasions and just once, on a trip down into the USA, I got the chance of a photograph in Yellowstone National Park.

I'm curious Ken where are you from originally?

I'm of Scottish descent, but born in England where I lived for 33 years until moving to Australia in 1973. I spent a year on a teaching exchange in Canada in 1997-1998,

Thank you...your posts had me wondering!

to Magpye........those are just WONDERFUL pictures.
My husband had a bear cub he rescued in Viet Nam many Years ago during the Viet nam War in 1966/67 and many stories to tell.
****
Now we have lived in Maine since 1981 where wildlife is also abundant ....we have lots of deer,beaver,raccoons,foxes,cayotes etc......tracks of moose in our back fields.
Up further north are bears where my husband was born.
***
Just 2 weeks ago we took a sunday ride and went to Caratunk,Maine where many Years ago my husband , 2 of our children and I took a walk into the woods to "find" something ie.Berries,Flowers etc....a regular Nature Walk teaching the children......well we all walked behind each other.First my husband,then our then 6 Year old son,4 year old daughter and then myself bringing up the rear.We went on a path ,going deeper into the woods when all of a sudden we heard a growl.....a growl ONLY a Mother Bear could/would make to protect her young.
**
Well my husband ,a Ranger,a Special Forces Airborn Soldier at that time pretended we had walked far enough and we had better return.He thought I did not hear the noise...well I did !! and turned myself while he spoke to the children and said " we better get back to the Camp" we walked far enough........!!
We were lucky !
Have not had the Opportunity to see a Cub or take one in ( we do Rehab.and have 7 Raccoons and one Fox right now )
*****
Thank You for posting the pictures,what a Joy !!
Brigitte

Eglantyne .. and all of you,

So glad you've enjoyed the cub pics! And I appreciate the wonderful comments .. and most grateful for sharing your own critter excursion stories also! Please, keep 'em comin' ... I know I can't be the only one enjoying the reading and the info!

I think the lil family is still near about .. for our P'nut (dawg) .. still manages to get his hair on end during early morning and late evenings! Feel pretty certain they're aiming for the Peaches that are ripening.

Lately, I've been reminding my hubby .. that HE is the one that told ME some time back (when I was fretting about the deer getting our peaches and corn!) .. "that there's plenty to go 'round for all of us!" See, he's not particularly liking the scenario now!! .. lol .. However, neither has HE been willing to go back behind our shed to fetch himself any of those peaches either!! .. HA! .. (plus, I'm not 'letting' him go back there .. right now! We certainly don't want to run the risk of us and the bears having any sort of confrontation.

So, in a bit of a hill billy {die-lect} HEE > "Dangummit, theys jes a few ol peaches! Them bar's haint hurtin' a thang! "

I've been reading and exploring as many of the subjects and threads as humanly possible .. with trying to prevent home, hubby and garden suffering .. (welllll .. much, anyway!) LOL

We're benefiting immensely from the wealth of info, ideas, tons of tidbits, beautiful pics, the tales and stories that every 'gardener' shares here!

To all of the DG folks - many thanks for the warm welcome. Feels like 'home' ... :o)

I plan to post more of 'our' other wildlife pics soon. Meanwhile, take a look at one of my favorite little 'wild' buddies (will be 3 pics posted consecutively) ....

#2 of 3 pics ... The HOLE

# 3 of 3 pics ... The HOLE

Haint this a cutie?!?
I tell ya .. I wanted to catch him and yank him up out of that hole and just squeeze him .. to thank him for giving me such a wonderful photo op!!! .. lol ..

Magpye, I love the stories... and your apparent love and concern for the animals. But it bothers me that your dog is chained.

This message was edited Feb 28, 2005 9:37 PM

One more shot at this continueing this post ...

(used only for lack of a better word) .. he fails to realize that the yotie gals'd get him hooked into the clan, then the males will annihilate him!! He'd strut round the place, like he was the yotie buddy/'head honcho'!! hee Oughta have heard him imitating the yotie yelps .. when he was loose! If I'd not seen it for myself, I'd have never believed he could pull it off so well!! LOL The ding-y little dawg!

But, we've read plenty enuff info about the coyotes and their association to our dog 'pets' - with the coyote males will focus on eventual vindication!! Not purtee .. Besides, they'd 'corner' him down in the woods, and he'd end up being the clans lunch!!!

P'nut's a relatively small mixed breed little mutt with purportedly, some Jack Russell terrier in there somewhere .. and I think he does look just like an unshelled peanut !!

Got him as a small pup about 7 years ago. When he was only a few months old - he had his first run in with a Timber Rattler. It was touch n'go for about 18 hours .. but he pulled out of it. Had some infection and some awful scarring where the fangs got him. Was no need to try to haul him the hour drive to the nearest vet; besides found out when we did take him the next day to check his wounds - that very few vets in our area, keep anti-venom on hand. The doc said the shelf life was short, and goes bad - far too expensive.

Incidentally, that Rattler got him right in the 'south end of the north bound train'!! Yep .. umm, hmm .. right there! Don't know how, but the booger missed his 'portants! He's been bitten three times more, since. I think the one bite that really hurt him the worse and made him squeal like he was a goner - is when he'd pawed loose dirt near a rock, and happened upon a baby Copperhead! The little sucker got him right on the meaty paw pad .. and held on, and pumped him full! Whole paw swelled up some huge! .. Yeow!

I'm not sure if pups can actually display such emotions - but, I swear to goodness .. I think it embarrassed him more than anything!! The Rattler babies are much more prone to bite so readily and quickly, and will inject with all they got .. and the venom is just as powerful!!

He's got a very distinct unique 'upset' loud bark that he repeats for a small forever .. when he's spotted a Rattler. He'll bark and sound off profusely loud and most disturbing, till we get our buns out and over to him .. to see what's he's got 'treed'!! Of course, he'll sound off too, when he's come across some non-venomous snakes - but I tell ya .. it's a whole different kind of 'notice'. hee He does a little jumpy type dance, round a non-venomous snake, such as a hog nosed, rat snake, or king! We can usually tell from a distance .. with his type of bark and antics, what we may be up against! Nope, I kid you not .. My hubby used to try to tell me, that I was just plum full of 'dog food' (hee) .. till the ol Coot (hubby) started paying closer attention to the pup himself! .. Ha ..

During those times, when the weeds in the garden sorta happen to 'get away' from us (excess rain, etc.) .. The P'nutman accompanies us, to sniff out any underlying and hidin' booger snakes. Think I'd trust this little ol dawgs experience, eyesight, and sniffer - 10 times quicker than I would a bloodhounds'! Now, his vicious bite? The little feller couldn't chew his way out of a gunny sack, let alone bite a flea off'n himself very easily !! hee .. Wellllll, that's another story for another day ...

With my love of the chipmunks that we have here (they & the squirrels usually do the dropped bird feed 'clean up') .. it's par for the course, that we have snakes to come sniffing about for them too. And the fact that we're in the woods, also makes for the typical mouse/rodent problems anyway. But, (we) manage a relatively nice balance .. we stay out of the snakes way, and roust them out or ours. When the grand yunkins come to visit, P'nut usually goes loose .. for a safety net! He just eats up all the love and the special attention, the yunkins give him.

The 'badest' boogers we've confronted, haven't been on four legs tho'! Furthermore, all of my family was appalled at that fact, that I nurtured and documented their home building ... Ahh, but here again, that'll have to be another story one day.

We know that there's always the possibility, that one day some vermin or booger .. will realize that he's just a mitey big ol 'poof of hot air' with his barking & growling threats and warnings, and he may possibly be the stationary 'or-derb' morsel, for this booger - - but P'nut stands a far better chance of survival being on his chain, than him thinkin' he can whoop the worlds hind end with his ol goofy bad self. Don't want to find myself having to go peel his little hide off the pavement either .. just for doing what comes natural for dogs! That - I could not handle!
We feel that we could get him in a matter of seconds out in the back yard. He's got about 25 ft of chain to run on. What's really interesting, is that P'nut a so accustomed to being on his chain - when he's been loose a spell during the day .. he goes to the back and will sit and wait for us to hook him back him up!! Yep, call it 'conditioning' .. but we call it, just plum dad burned smart!!

Remind me too .. to one day tell ya, about P'nuts yotie gal pal, that paid him a few visits .. Oooh, she was one uuuugly little thang, I tell ya! .. He'd literally keep 'watch' for us, and let her know when to come on up the hill .. to his 'house' .. and share in his meal!! Hee Hee
He's a character!

He's just as soon bed up with our chippers and bunnies here and about; it's just no dilemma for him. The squirrels now, he'll cut some racket and try to get after them .. but I don't think he's turned out to be the 'tree rat hunting' type, that my hubby had intended, when we got him many moons ago! .. LOL ..

Ol P'nut's no dog show specimen or candidate ... but he's ours and he’s well loved !

Sure do thank you .. for the concern tho’. Magpye

Ohhhhhh! Those little cubs are adorable! Exactly how close were you though?

Do you know what kind they are? Black bears? All I've ever seen around here is footprints.

I didn't know squirells lived in holes in the ground! Or is that a chipmunk? Either way it's a REALLY great shot. I know what you mean about wanting to squeeze him, he looks so round and big eyed.

I was also concerned about your dog being chained. While it is good that he can't do all those things anymore, what would happen if he were to be attacked by a coyote, ?wolf? or bear?

I can't offer you any alternatives b/c Ginger is a house doggy and follows me around when I go outside. Is a fencenced in area an option? At least that way, the rope won't get snagged and it would help keep other animals out.

Magpye, I've lived on the edge of the woods near a highway and we had our share of wildlife. You've done wonderful for your doggy in keeping him safe. I just wanta say that newbies, or anyone for that matter, are seldom criticized for their lifestyles here at Dave's.

I've known doggies who just gotta 'run', buried a couple when attention was lacking. Yours gets to chase after squirrels and doggies love that. Surprised he leaves the bunnies be. I can't hardly credit that he survived all those rattlesnake bites, he's a miracle dog. I wonder what sense he uses to distinguish the less dangerous ones.

Did you check out the bear at that site that was using the same velcro method of clinging to a tree? I thought yours was better. Well, I just stopped for mid-morning coffee and gotta get back at the yard clean-up - I'll check here and elsewhere for more critter adventures. Glad you've joined us.

Magpye, Thanks for your answers about why your dog is chained. Makes sense when you put it that way, and my question was not intended as a criticism, just curiosity.

Around here we see so many dogs chained out in the hot sun and no water.

CaptMicha .. we were about 70 feet or so from the tree that the little Black Bear cub was up!
However, we had been much closer when we were trying to make out the 'sounds' that were being made .. and just what was making them! Hee
The shots I got, were only after I'd fetched my camera .. and we were under an open covered area of our workshed. Sure wish that I'd have been able to manage some much clearer shots of the sow and the other cub a little further away. Those .. aren't even worth trying to post! I'll try to attach a pic that perhaps will give you guys some what of an idea of .. us in relation to the tree/cub.

.. and the critter in the hole in the ground .. is a chipmunk (a couple of my wee little grandyunkins call them 'munk-munks')!! hee

Ah, no criticism taken Darius, about our mutt on the chain. He has his little house, shade and water. We try to let him run loose a little bit, every several days. I'd have surely inquired of anyone else ...

The only time P'nut gets to come inside, is for a bath (IF it's not scorchin' enuff outside to do it)! .. Hee ..
Heck, he's even shocked to find us holding the door open to come inside .. He gives us that look of saying "umm, hmmm .. I know what's up!" But after he's all clean and smellin like a new born puppy again .. he's some kind of excited to be in the BIG house!! Then, when we let him back out after a while .. and he goes to the stinkinest ol nasty place in the woods (usually a carcas of something) .. and rubs and rubs in it! Doing what 'dawgs' love to do I guess ... uugh! .. hee hee

Blooms.. Yep, I sure did check out the bear site. Thanks! We'd long been doing our 'homework' about the 'wilds' we'd settled into. The more familiar one becomes, the better off all of us are! (us and the vermin!)

I'll have to be dynamited out of our 'holler' here. It's just an ultimate peace, and so tranquil! Such a refreshing calm every morning. Ever so often, we catch an 'ear' of some minor road traffic, otherwise .. it's what quite a many folks may would consider 'boring'. We are most blessed in being able to live a small peice of our dreams ...

Ha! LOL .. guess some indication as to which particular tree the cub was up .. would be of some minor aid, 'ey?!?

I'd stepped back a bit further under the roof .. to take this particular photo.

The large diameter tree .. that is in the very center of the pic .. (not the tree by the cinder blocks) .. is the one the Black Bear cub comes down.
There's a half wall to the right (isn't visible in the photo) .. that I'd propped and supported my camera on, to shoot the bear pics.

I don't think anyone was trying to criticize about P'nutt. I personally was just trying to be helpful.

Keep on posting more pics as you take them! I love how you view even the "vermin" as welcome wildlife. You're so right about how they were there first. More people should have your attitude and maybe nature and humans wouldn't clash so often :(.

I know what you mean about your home being your own little slice of heaven. It sounds like a beautiful place.

Hi Magpye, welcome to DG. I love your pics and story, really like the velcro bear, too funny. Your place sounds like heaven on earth.

You tell a great story, Magpye.


This message was edited Jul 24, 2004 9:29 AM

Thank you MagPye!!!
LOL- you are just FULL of energy arent you?! It's great! Keep posting wildy piccies!

It's not any bear this time .. but here's a couple pics of our resident little momma wren!! ahh, she's a heifer and a half I tell ya!

And get this: she RECYCLES !!!!!

I'll try to make this tale short. (said, I'll try!!) .. I sorta like to look for and keep most bird nests that I find .. so, I decided to go get the one she and her mate had made last Spring. (Yep, she built it in the little white plastic bowl in Spring of 2003!) Besides, (they'd) already long been packing every peice of leaf, twig, grass and everything else imaginable .. and craming it all up into one of the other little cubby hole {shelves} that we have up on our back porch! Kept a constant 'mess' line to that little shelf!

I kept steadily dismantling it .. in hopes of them finally deciding to move elsewhere. It's always such a mess where the shelf is; right at our back door! (not to mention the fact that they scare the gall darn fool out of us every time we go in or out the door) hee hee ..

Well, I decided that this little heifer is just gonna HAVE to look and build elsewhere! And I proceeded to pull the jammed, not quite formed up 'mess' of an intended nest, out of there once more!

All of a sudden a bulb went off (or, shouldn't this be, ON!) hee .. and I wondered if the pair 'may' could somehow be enticed to using their old bowl nest!?!

I mean .. it WAS already fixed up .. and ready to move in! Bed, furniture and all .. Ready for residency! hee hee

I fetched it .. and put the little bowl nest up into the same cubby hole that they'd been trying to stuff full. Matter of fact you can see some remaining debris around the bowl nest in the pic I'm including.

I couldn't believe it - for within mere hours the pair decided to quit fighting me about the new nest building mess .. and took to the old one!! And bless pat - the very next day .. there were eggs in it too!! Danged sure didn't want to risk disturbing them any further .. so I left them alone, after that!

Well, only until just a very few days ago ... She and her mate are proud parents of 5 little bambinney wrens! (gosh, hope they don't grow up to be just as head long & head strong .. as their Momma!) .. LOL ..

Here's TWO pics .. the bowl nest in the cubby hole shelf & the other .. of some mitey frightenin' lookin' lil wrenner children!! .. LOL ..

Hope you guys enjoy them also! .. the Magpye

Pic #2 .. of the mitey frightenin' lookin' lil wrenner children!!

Magpye they are as wet and skinny and bedraggled looking as the baby hummers I took pics of. They'll turn fluffy in about ten days. Fun to watch.

Hehe- isnt it funny how baby birds look like insects or rats? Sorry,LOL!
Such a sweet story!!

Magpye,
really enjoying Your stories:-)) keep these stories and pictures coming.
I also started a thread with Wildlife pictures .It startet out with Baby birds.....then added Raccoon and Fox pictures :-))
Have a look , I think You will enjoy the pictures,
Brigitte
PS: oh yes..... the thread is called "Look WHAT I just found "

Eglantyne - I'm a step ahead of you there .. in finding and taking a look-peek @ your thread .. 'Look what I just .. '. Found it days ago!! ha .. I thoroughly enjoy the reads and the pics are most wonderful. And, naturally .. am keepin' a watch on it and several others also!!
I've got some 'coon' pics (a family of three), that was raiding our bird seed storage containers on our back porch - EVEN after we'd finally learned to put the seed into a metal trash can with a lid!! We thought the lid fit good and snug; but the coons easily managed to open it right up! hee We then tried fastening some bungie cords over and across the lid, and that didn't work either. We figgured they would've tried to chew it off - but, instead, they simply carefully removed the end hooks from the can handles!! Ha! Very ingenius critters!
Short of considering listening for them during the night, & poppin' their hineys with a BB (which would mean we would be up all hours of the night) - - we were quickly running out of options! Besides, most folks like to sleep AND REST, when they turn in for the nite!! hee hee .. So, nahhh!! .. that was not a viable option, two-fold! Didn't want to risk poppin them too hard, or the target ending up hitting them elsewhere, other than their hind end either (like their eyes)!
Our final idea, was surely to be the ideal deterent! After all, we had plenty of them around here. Let's put a big rock on the top of the lid!
There's no way that Momma coon's gonna be able to move that!! Hah .. WRONG!!
These little boogers had become so accustomed to our presence (and our vain attempts) - they'd wait around for us to come outside onto the porch - so, they could 'giggle' at us!!
The Momma would use her front feet and paws, and 'wedge' herself in such a way .. in order to use her body and her back legs .. to easily PRY, lift and PUSH the big rock over and off of the can lid!!! Took us a couple of nights of being wakened by hearing the most peculiar 'booming' sound (we figured it was a jet exceeding the sound barrier or something, and we'd doze back off!) .. before we realized it was the coons breaking the sound barrier (not to mention putting some hefty sized 'dents' in the back porch floor)!!!
I kid ya not!! She'd just take a look up at us 'staring' at her (and giggle & SMIRK!) .. and get right on back to doing what she was intent on doin'!!!!!! Lift the lid off, summons the two babies up (that had vamoosed when we came out!) .. and they all would feast!!
We figured, that after that intelligence and display of strategizing .. no doubt, that the family DESERVED to have the just rewards!! .. LOL ..
The next day, however .. we replaced the big rock, with a much larger one! Never saw, or heard them again. Figured we'd either finally defeated them, or she had utter mercy on us .. and moved on to elsewhere! hee
I realized later, that it was just a good thing that she had her babies to get on out of the way too - for that big rock bashing to the floor .. could've surely mamed, or possibly killed one of them. I shutter to think about that! Eeek ..
I tell ya .. I do believe that if coon and other vermin do carry on 'conversations' with another (like us human beans' do, HEE) .. I can easily imagine the ol grandmaw coon telling her grandcooners about 'the time the dumb ol hillbillies tried the ol ROCK on the garbage can lid' episode!! .. HEE HEE ..
I'm gonna have to find those pics .. and get'em posted soon!
Much pleased to hear and see that my lil adventures, stories and pics .. are read and viewed .. and enjoyed! Thanks DG folks!
Hope that everyone keeps the updates comin'!!
This website and the many forums, ranks right there .. on the top .. of my 'HAS TO' list !!

Sometimes I can't believe how smart they are! We've never had any problems with them here, but I have seen them once and a while driving along the 'country road' to our house.

I love your stories! Now where are those coon pics???

LOVE your stories!!!!! Living in Florida, I had my washing machine outside on a concrete slab. Took the police three trips to find out that the Racoons were the ones turning it on in the middle of the night!
Pati

LOL Oh gracious me patischell !!
My jaws are killin' me from laughing so doggoned hard (LOL) at the 'washing machine police' tale!! .. LOL ..
Oh Lordee .. I can only imagine the puzzlement of the mischievous mystery!
Ahh, laughter .. the very best medicine!! THANK YOU for sharing this ..

This message was edited Feb 28, 2005 9:42 PM

Wellll, finally found some of the OLDer pics of the bear!! .. And will relate more to why we were so thrilled to see that we still had a few that visit or wonder through our lil woods ... some time later on. (re: the threads' first pics)

These two pics .. are from back in August of 1999. They were taken using a Sony FD-71 .. and I reckon that won't nobody be able to tell how very nervously excited I was! (Hah!!)

Along with shooting the pics thru our bedroom window and fighting the mini blinds, blended with the super nervous excitement - shall certainly explain the gosh-awful blurred shots!! .. lol ..

- Magpye

.. #1 pic .. The one bear that came up on our driveway ..

.. #2 pic ..

.. #3 pic .. Looks like he even opted to mark his territory ..

.. #4 pic ..