Probably the most viewed item on Facebook in Cordova is “Bear Watch,” where daily local encounters with bears are posted for your viewing pleasure.
Quite often I haven’t finished my first cup of coffee before my wife beckons me to “look at this.”
One day, I looked out the kitchen window and told her to “come look at this.” Somehow in the middle of the night a bear had managed to lift the water-logged lid of our garbage can container, and trash was strewn all about the stairs to our house.
I was surprised, because a couple of years ago, I added roofing metal to the lid after a bruin had gnawed his way in. This time, after trying to chew through pieces of treated 2X6 framing, the bear had figured how to lift the hinged lid.
Using clever mechanical prowess, the bear managed to swing it up and open. Both 55-gallon plastic garbage cans and lids had been pulled out and stomped on, so it must have been quite a late-night show. I managed to pound the garbage cans back into shape and the lids, despite numerous teeth marks, actually fit back on.
The damage had been minor compared to instances where bears have broken into houses, and proven they are very tactile by getting into unlocked cars.
I solved the problem by fastening the lid shut with chain and a snap hook, and so far, so good.
But the bears seem to be everywhere.
Fortunately, most of the bear encounters have been with black bears, generally more timid and less aggressive than their brown brethren, especially with cubs.
Then it’s a whole different ball game. Recently a deer hunter on Hawkins Island ended up encountering a sow with three cubs and had to shoot the sow.
Things can happen very quickly in those situations, and I have teeth marks in one of my legs to verify that truism. And forget about the fact that brown bear cannot climb trees. They sure as heck can jump when one is not high enough up a tree.
Most outdoor people know the guidelines about handling bear encounters. The key is to avoid them by making your presence evident.
Yet running into bears is almost inevitable, if you get out in the woods often.
One of my favorite bear tales appeared in the Aug. 18, 2017 issue of The Cordova Times, a Cordova Chronicles piece titled “Cordova Fisherman Scores TKO over Brown Bear.” It’s about young Robert Cunningham stopping a charging sow with a punch to the nose. The encounter took place on Softuk Bar while Cunningham was taking a hike during a closed fishing period. He stands 7 feet tall, and the bruin didn’t have a chance.
Well, most of us aren’t that tall. Nor that brave.
One should also keep in mind that many of the bears around Cordova have become quite accustomed to humans, and also they are hanging around Cordova because natural food seems to be in short supply.
Also consider this statistic. October is one of biggest months for bear encounters, likely because they are aggressively trying to put on weight for hibernation.
It’s that time of year.
So be aware. Especially of brown bears.
