If it was a bear chances are good he'll be back (speaking from prior experience). Recommend electric fencing with a ground grid around outside perimeter (so shocks the feet). Hope you're able to save the hive.
It was a bear alright.
My wife was able to rebuild the hive yesterday and relocate it inside our chain link fenced yard. She was able to recover most but not all of the honeycomb. which we had to leave on the ground.
We are not sure if the bees will stay since there was unusual swarming activity on the outside of the relocated hive.
This morning at 5AM, there was a rustling outside of our bedroom window which startled me and sent a bit of a shiver down my spine. I got up, shined a flashlight out the bedroom window to discover an adult black bear rooting around the tree where the hive was previously located.
I got my robe and flipflops, camera, and flashlight and went out on the rear deck and turned on the backyard floods.
I started yelling and screaming, shining my flashlight and waving my arms.... and the bear took off running. I probably should have taken the picture first. Hind sight.
The bear was last seen running west up the 800 block of Lark toward upper Edna.
The relocated hive was not disturbed... at least as of this morning... but who knows how long that will last.
May have to go the electric wire route assuming the bees are still occupying the hive.