redpinemountain.com

Update

Thank you everyone so much for your concern. I felt so much less alone yesterday reading your comments. They really helped to calm me down.

I spent time yesterday researching black bears and I think I understand them better now. They are down from the woods this time of year because they are hungry and they are looking for anything they can find to eat. I learned they are opportunists meaning that although they prefer twigs, fruits and berries when they are hungry, they will eat just about anything they can find. I also learned that although they are naturally frightened of people, if they have been fed by humans or if they are used to feeding near houses, then they lose their fear and are less likely to run. As growth and development take place, the bears are losing much of their natural habitat and are coming more into contact with people. That being said they still can pose a danger to people especially if they feel cornered or if they have cubs with them.

I was frightened yesterday because the bear was right there on our deck at my window and because he refused to leave. The back of our house is composed primarily of floor to ceiling glass panels and Mountain Man was worried he’d be able to pop a window to get into the kitchen. Mountain Man sent over a friend yesterday to board up the long windows that led to the deck. While he was out there working, he found evidence the bear had tried to pry the casement from around the windows further leading to my fear. Here’s what my house looks like now. I’m not a candidate for Better Homes and Gardens but I feel safer.



I also tried rigging up my own device to scare the bear. Pots and pans which hopefully if he ran into them would startle him.

We checked out the barn but decided there was no way a bear could get in there because of the heavy locking doors and the electric fencing.

I also learned from the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife quite a few facts about bears. One thing is that they have very good noses and are attracted to some unusual scents one of them being citronella. I had been burning a citronella candle to keep away black flies so I went out to the deck and got rid of the offending candles. I also learned I needed to put away our barbecue grill because they can smell grease even on a clean grill so I hauled it out of the yard. Their final tip was that bears don’t like the smell of ammonia and to soak towels with ammonia and lay them around my deck. I did that and went one better. I sprayed down the short, unboarded windows with ammonia.

I also took the trash can out of the kitchen and stowed it in the basement and then I cleaned the entire kitchen trying to eradicate scents that might emanate through the windows. There, I was prepared but I was still scared. Going to a hotel was out. I have all the dogs plus the horses and the donkeys so I was just going to have to be brave and get through the night.

Darkness fell and I turned on every outside light we have (supposedly bears stay away from brightly lit areas) but I couldn’t bring myself to go to bed so I sat up all night on bear alert. I’m happy to report he didn’t come near the house or into our yard but this morning, I found fresh tracks around our barn and our outdoor boiler. I’m going to have the fish and game warden come over to see about relocating him back into the woods. And I’ve decided I need to learn how to shoot and that’s something I thought I’d never say. Mountain Man and I have had discussions about it before and I’ve always been adamantly opposed but now I understand why I should be able to handle a firearm.

So that’s the latest. I’m headed to bed now and I’ll leave you with one final picture. Yes, it’s actually snowing off and on this morning. It won’t stick. It’s too warm but I can honestly say life is never dull here.

Thanks again everyone. You’ve really helped me cope especially without Mountain Man here.