Bear, you stay there!

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As I was walking on the Canon City Riverwalk close to 8 pm tonight my dog Chase alerted that he heard something in the vegetation just off the trail. Thinking it was maybe a squirrel or even a racoon--surprise, when I looked I was a little confused as I thought it was a bear but it looked like it had a blond overcoat on. This is the first 'blond' black bear I have seen (they do come in a number of colors).
As it sunk it that I was only about 25-30 feet away from the bear (it was behind trees as shown in last pic) I got a few pics (this is what happens when I leave my camera in the car, these are cellphone pics) and started to walk away. As I did the bear started to come out from behind the trees which concerned me so I walked backwards so I could watch it. It kept looking a me as I looked it. When it came further I ordered (in a gruff voice as I would a dog) "Bear, you stay there." Fortunately as it came it further it became clear it just wanted to go the other way on the trail I just came on.
While not my first experience afoot with a bear it was the closest I have been so it gave me a good shot of adrenaline. If your enjoy bears I got some video a few years back of a momma bear and 3 cubs on our Riverwalk: https://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-bear-momma-with-3-cubs-chow-time.html?m=1 and https://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-bear-with-3-cubs-grabbing-bite-as.html?m=1 SeEtta

Comments

Unknown said…
How awesome! I have never seen a bear on the riverwalk here. Maybe I am just choosing the wrong times. Or the wrong part of the riverwalk. Great pictures even though they are cell phone pics.
June 25, 2018 at 5:05 AM
Chas S. Clifton said…
The "blond" coloration is last year's coat being shed, I think. Sometimes they look just like Siamese cats in the early summer.
July 7, 2018 at 12:14 PM
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