My name isn't Goldilocks

[gerisullivan]

Google Images suggests that my first reaction to the scat I saw at the edge of the yard might well have been spot on. It might not be bear scat; I haven't seen or heard about bears in these particular woods since moving here eight years ago. But it looks enough like the images "bear scat" Google Images search brought up that I wouldn't bet against it being bear until someone more knowledgeable, like batwrangler, says otherwise. I'll take another look at it tomorrow, probably with camera phone in hand.

I already follow the Living with Black Bears food and garbage guidance. If there is a bear hereabouts, I hope the noisy lawnmower convinced it to keep its distance.

Comments

[batwrangler.livejournal.com]

If you have bird feeders (with food in them) out now, I'd bring them in for the summer. (ETA: Since you are following the "Living with bears" guidelines, you've already got this covered.)

Also, look outside before you open your doors: a woman in NH recently walked into a bear that was standing immediately outside her front door. She escaped with some stitches, thanks in part to her dog.

That said, bear attacks in New England are very rare.

Some people suggest wearing "bear bells" in the woods which are just jingle bells so that you don't accidently sneak up on a bear. The theory is that the bear hears you and moves away before you see it.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tips, especially the one to look outside before opening doors. If it's a moose, I doubt it would come that close to the house, but the last thing in the world I want to do is startle a moose. Or a bear.

I ran out of $$$ to fill the bird feeders 4 years ago, when I got serious about tackling the whole runaway debt thing. Except for the Hummingbird feeder. I really ought to just through the seed feeders away. Wasps have taken to nesting in at least one of them some summers.