After two straight buffalo stories I need a change of pace. I think I will write about bears! When we were traveling in the summer a few years ago we always wanted to see a bear. It was not easy. The few we saw were mostly at a long distance. We did see one in Big Bend on one trip. It had climbed a tree by the rental cabins. Game wardens tranquilized it and hauled it to another location.
This week my niece and her son were working in their yard in a Little Rock suburb. The back yard opens to a wooded area. Stephen said, "Look, mom, there's a bear!". A black bear had casually strolled into the yard. He was heading for one of their bird feeders. He soon had it on the ground. Stephen ran for his camera. His mom just ran. They called a game warden friend. The bear left for a little while but came back for more food. The edge of the yard soon filled with neighbors and family. One woman who had returned from Alaska, hoping to see bears, but had not seen one; raced across Little Rock to see this young guy or gal. He was finally tranquilized and taken to the woods somewhere. It made the evening news and added a new thrill to working flower beds. This was a rare event for Little Rock, although the bear population has slowly made a comeback. There are a few in Texas. They used to be everywhere. We only have gaters and mountain lions and feral hogs..... and rattlesnakes!