Bears!

[SkierBob]

I think your dogs would feel better if you just didn't go at night.

ya it's not something I do very often.  I usually go up in the morning and bring six sparklett bottles full of water. 

They say where there's Deer there's mountain lions and that's always in the back of my mind. If I ever get a picture of one you'll see it her first.   My brother in law had a bear in his backyard down in Palmdale near Sierra Pelona park (Tierra Subida and 5th West) but I've never seen one here. 

A bit off topic but; Coyote attacked one of my dogs yeserday mid morning.  I was right there within 50ft and could do nothing but scream at the top of my lungs for my dog to come.  Dog chased the coyote, coyote turned and ran 20ft before stopping and attacking.  My dog yelped and ran back up the hill with the coyote hot on her trail. Coyote stopped the chase when they were about 25ft from me.  After I got the dog in the house a grabbed my 22 rifle and was going to make Raven food out of the Coyote, but I was a few seconds late and he ran off.  The dog was not seriously injured just one bite mark on her hind leg. I think they come by looking to snack on my Cats.  I really need to fence my property. 

BTW, lost one of the cats a few days ago to a rattlesnake bite on the face.  It was an ugly death, it was wierd that  the cat was stiff as a board within 20 minutes. 

[joemsosa]

What happened to Woody? Did he take the hint and go back home? I haven't heard of any more sightings.

[tcaarabians]

Sheesh Skierbob.. your tale did not sound like much fun at all. The entire perimeter of my property is fenced with 5 foot chain link. And, cross fenced on the inside and pipe corrals for the horses.  I do hear the coyotes here at night .. off in the distance. But, none have leaped my fence line.. that I know about anyway. But, they can leap over a 5 foot fence in a nanosecond.

Hope your dog is going to be ok. Sorry about the cat.

And, yeah.. no Woody sightings? cheryl o7o

[bootsmiles]

SkierBob, I sent you a PM.

[Big Pines]

What happened to Woody? Did he take the hint and go back home? I haven't heard of any more sightings.

Sounds like Woody broke into a home this afternoon.  He needs a good dose of bear spray, or a pack of dogs to run him back into the woods before fish and wildlife put a end to him

[MojaveSidecar]

Sounds like Woody broke into a home this afternoon.  He needs a good dose of bear spray, or a pack of dogs to run him back into the woods before fish and wildlife put a end to him

We were woken up at 2:45AM by our dog barking. Saw that our neighbors were up and making a racket.... chasing a good sized bear from their trash cans.   The bear ran in our direction until I was able to put a spotlight on him..
He turned and ran up the hill towards upper Oriole. We are at Lark and Mill Circle.

 

[ForestGal]

I walked this afternoon with a friend/neighbor who happens to be office manager at Camp Wrightwood, which is at Linnet/Elm and beyond.  She said the bear was seen at camp today.  She said it's challenging trying to make campers understand that it's not OK to feed it and that we need to make it unwelcome.  She has rigged up a loud air horn which she sounds if she happens to see it, and the bear does run off, but not as fearfully as it should.  The camp schedule is full for the next several weeks, which means there are a going to be a lot of folks excited to see a real live bear, not comprehending the consequences of not keeping it wild.  I'm praying that the bear decides to go take a long hike somewhere else.   

[ChrisLynnet]

Oh dear, that's bad. I'll pray too.

[ForestGal]

This evening around 7 pm I set out to take my little dog for a walk up and around Mill Circle.  A lady who lives across from the "swamp" happened to be outside, and came to tell me that about 1/2 hour prior, a fairly good-sized bear strolled through her next door neighbor's yard and across the street into the swamp.  While I was standing there talking to her, the bear walked out of the thick bushes and headed west and into another yard on Mill Circle.  I decided to backtrack and walk somewhere else.    Then while walking back at Mill and Lark, the neighbors there said they had seen the bear walk on Lark and into the Catholic Church back lot.  It's a beautiful brown colored bear, but I didn't want my little dachshund introduced to it! 

In 36 years here, this is the first bear I've seen this close to my neighborhood. 

[Stitches]

Yikes!!!!    ForestGal, that story makes my hair stand on end.   At 7 p.m. is when I finally make my way to the garden to check on my plants.    I will have to be more cautious.

[dustyduck]

Now I know what pulled my nut block down from my tree.  I wonder if this is the baby bear from last year.

[pinetrees]

I'm on Oriole - I heard a creature growling at about 8:30 pm last night but never did see it.  My dog started running around and barking inside the house - she sniffs the forced air grids and I think usually smells squirrels.  I went out on my front deck to close a window that can only be closed from outside and I heard a growling sound.  At first I did not believe it but just in case, I retreated back in house quickly.  About 30 min later, after I had gone in backyard and looked under the front deck with flashlight and saw nothing, I went out again to close the window - this time I think the growling sound was from the lilac bushes on side of house.  This time I ran back in house and never went back out again.  We never did actually see what I believe was the bear wander away.  It was scary.

[Nolena]

Sorry.
I won't growl next time. 

[Jim Wilkins]

Pinetrees-
You probably heard a boar Raccoon.  That house has always had Raccoons hanging around and they can make some incredible growing noises as well as some hair raising banshee sounds.  If it was in the Lilacs by the side deck....probably Raccoons.

[pinetrees]

Thanks Jim and Nolena!  I  think you are right - probably raccoons - when I watered today, looked like a raccoon had made a little place to take a nap in the lilacs.  Hope he or she was just traveling through the area and not looking for a place to live! 

[ChrisLynnet]

I didn't know that raccoons could growl! I know not to mess with them but I didn't know that. But heh, better a raccoon than a bear as an uninvited guest!   

[tlc]

Note to self...when your neighbor puts trash in the bear proof can and doesn't shut the lid properly - take a minute to take care of it so you're not up until 2 a.m. listening to and watching your dogs go nuts over a bear or raccoon. I see a nap in my future today.

[LindseySealy]

It's 2am right now and my husband was outside and saw a bear on the corner of Twin Lakes & Victorville St. He stayed for a while then made his way up Twin Lakes.

[james6000]

It's 2am right now and my husband was outside and saw a bear on the corner of Twin Lakes & Victorville St. He stayed for a while then made his way up Twin Lakes.

   thanks for posting my water container is still full so he didn't stop at my place

[Tall Trees]

A Forest Service recreation tech was making the rounds at Big Pines restrooms across the street from the information center when he discovered a bear had also paid a visit.  Overnight sometime a small bear found its way into the womens restroom and it appears the bear had some difficulty finding it's way back out.  It knocked over the trash cans, defecated on the floor in several areas and walked through the poop and left paw prints through out the restroom.  Paw prints indicate the bear tried to exit through the air vent, walked on top of the sinks and toilets, attempted to climb the walls near the windows and even sat down on one of the toilets.  When the employee entered the facility the bear was long gone but left a huge mess which took several hours to clean up.  Luckily, there was no damage other than the poo prints.  The Forest Service is investigating how the bear was able to open the door knob and enter the facility and prevent this from happining in the future.