Then out of the woods popped one -- two -- THREE cubs, trailing along behind her.
As she walked, she paused occasionally to sniff the air, and that made me worry about the bird feeder in the front yard. Bears have an astounding sense of smell. She walked around the garage and, sure enough, turned toward the feeder. She ambled along very casually, the cubs stopping behind her to investigate everything.
Then the cubs heard the bird bath; in warm weather I keep a garden hose running a continuous trickle of water into it. Even though a single adult deer can drink it dry, using the hose keeps it fresh and full so the birds can bathe and deer can come and go as they please.
When all three cubs climbed on the bird bath, I had to get a picture of it. I quietly stepped out on the front porch and snapped this shot:
Eventually mother bear moved toward the feeder, and that's when I made my presence known. Though I designed the feeder to come apart easily under a bear's "tender touch", I had just filled it. So I said "No!" and her head popped up. The cubs jumped down and ran toward their mother. She stood and looked at me. One more "No!" and all four bears turned on their heels and ran for the woods.
Note: Bears are wonderful to behold, and young cubs are simply adorable. But an adult bear has incredible, unbelievable strength. A mother bear with cubs can be easily provoked to action to defend her cubs. Never approach any bear, and do not feed them. As a bear becomes conditioned to a human's presence by being fed, they lose their natural instinct to avoid people. When they return for another feeding which you've trained them to expect and find none, they will continue to look for it and have broken into homes, cabins, campers, vehicles, and tents regardless of human presence. Bears that have become destructive may ultimately be trapped and euthanized by rangers. You're not doing them any favors by feeding them.
