That was my son Doug’s parting shot as our dog Koji led him out the driveway a moment ago.  Both of them are belled:  Koji with a large jingle bell attached to his collar, and Doug with a deep-voiced brass bell on the bag over his shoulder, to avoid surprising a bear on their walk to the mailbox.  We have had several visits from a bear or bears in the past week or so.  Neighbors have been shooting at something (or nothing) at infrequent, irregular intervals during that time, and the gunfire increased markedly yesterday.  Late last night, Koji’s hackles were raised and he growled and whined in a way that made it clear a bear was nearby.  There were at least six gunshots during the night, coming from two different directions.

The bear (or bears) left evidence in the yard at least three times.  First, there was a 3 gallon water jug on the porch, filled with rainwater, reserved for the garden.  It was moved about five feet and dropped right in front of my door, pierced in several places by what appears to be sharp teeth.  The same morning I found that on my doorstep when I went out, I also noticed four fang marks from a single strong bite, spanning an edge of a sturdy plastic storage tub holding kindling wood on the porch.  The two sets of marks (upper and lower jaws) measure between four and five inches, canine-to-canine.

Yesterday morning, about a week after the earlier occurrence, I found some planters overturned in my garden.  Most of my gardening is done above ground, in containers.  A bear had apparently taken a single bite of a perennial onion top, leaving its 9-inch pot lying on its side in the path.  I know it was a bear, because paw prints were left in two containers nearby, which had been filled with potting soil but not planted with anything.  The containers had been prepared to receive runners growing off a Siberian wild strawberry plant I’m propagating.  The pots are ten inches in diameter, and the paw prints in them were about eight inches across.  A bit farther down the path, a gallon jug partially filled with fish fertilizer solution had been bitten but not drained.

Assuming that the bear had found the rotten fishy soup distasteful, I righted the jug, set it aside, and tidied up the remaining bear damage.  This morning, I again found the fertilizer jug in the path, more chewed up than before, and empty.  I can’t say whether the bear changed its mind about its palatability, another bear with different tastes came along, or the nasty stinky stuff just drained out of the fang holes.  Another onion had been overturned, tasted and rejected. 

Long ago I learned not to leave attractive food such as apples out where a bear might be lured by them.  The yard and the woods around here are full of bunchberries, bear berries, watermelon berries, salmon berries, crowberries, blueberries and other traditional ursine treats, but the onion and fish emulsion issues are a new problem.  This nocturnal visitor appears to be experimenting with new foods, and willing to accept things in less than appetizing condition.  Garbage cans have not been overturned, but vegetation has been flattened around the compost heap.

I have heard no reports of bear attacks on pets or people in this area this season, but Doug and I were in agreement on the idea of wearing bear bells until winter comes and the bear threat passes.  Yesterday, as I worked in the yard, I had a radio nearby, tuned to NPR talk shows, as much for the bears’ information as for my own entertainment. 

BTW, I have pictures, not only of the bear damage, but also of flora and fungi in the yard.  I need to either reinstall our old image processing software that I know how to use, or learn to use the new program that Doug installed, before I can get them ready for upload.  I have been busy setting up a new pair of bunks and completing other summertime tasks, getting ready for winter.  When we can spare more time, I’ll try to get the photos posted….  I hear bells.  My dingalings are back now.  Seeya later.