HOW MANY BEARS?

From Misc Bears

UN'BEAR'ABLY HOT

From Quadruplet Bears

BEARZILLA SCRATCHING HIS RUMP ON A TREE

From Bearzilla

MS. QUILLERAN

From Ms. Quilleran

MR. FOXWORTHY

From Mr. Foxworthy

ROSE THE RED SQUIRREL

From Red Squirrels

ROCKY THE GREY SQUIRREL

From Grey Squirrels

THE WATERING HOLE

From The Watering ...

CINDERELLA

From Cinderella

GOLDILOCKS AND THE 4 BEARS

From Goldilocks

SNOW WHITE

From Snow White

DRIZELLA

From Drizella

CUBS

From Cubs

More wildlife photos "in my backyard."
http://picasaweb.google.com/booboobearbecky

You must have excellent food resources in your area to have a bear produce four at once.

BN

Goldilocks was the BEST mother of the 3 adult females with cubs. Snow White was a "nervous nelly," and Cinderalla was a "careless mom." Cinderella and one of her cubs mysteriously disappeared later in the summer, and Snow White adopted Cinderella's stray cub. Snow White was the mama bear with 3 cubs. So by the time fall came around, there were 2 female mother bears with 4 cubs each. It was really something to see that's for sure.

brenda_in_tx-
That kiddie swimming pool belongs to my dog, Pancho. The cubs adopted the doggie pool area as their playground. I left it out and refilled it with fresh water often, as it kept the bears out of my garden.

birding nut-
I thought all the cubs looked really healthy as well. Such shiny coats. When fall rolled around they looked like furry butterballs and appeared as fat as they were tall.

Mr. Foxworthy appeared frequently and kept a watchful eye on my garden area. He was not for looking veggies, but hunting for the rabbits stealing my veggies. I was very grateful to Mr. Foxworthy for keeping the bunny population in check. Nature working the way it should I guess.

toloniferous-
your words: "holy bearness"
I agree, you summed up my thoughts perfectly!!

It's been an educational experience watching these bear families interact and raise their young.

Glad you all enjoyed the photos.
booboobearbecky

Sam

I live on a dead-end road in the woods. In addition, our property is surrounded by several large parcels of woodlands. The blackbears are attracted to the acorns and clover in our meadow in spring and early summer. Once the wooded areas leaf out in early summer they tend to look for grub in the woods instead of our lush meadow. Our meadow is between our home and the woods. All of our living room windows face the meadow and woods, so I have plenty of photo opportunities.

I tend to work outside alot and the bears seem to accept me as just part of the landscape (non-threat). I do head inside quickly when I see a mother bear with cubs though.

My hubby has a deer stand (more like a deluxe condo treehouse) in the woods near our house. I often hike out there with my cameras and observe the bears. As long as they know I am there (they can smell me and see me), I'm fine. They just don't like to be surprised. I keep a gym whistle with me, but only had to use it once. And that was to rescue a cub from an ornery female (Drizella; named after Cinderella's wicked step sister). The cub belonged to a different mother bear, Goldilocks. Drizella had run the cub up a small tree and was determined to attack the poor little creature. My whistle scared off Drizella, and Goldilocks came back shortly to retrieve her stray cub. The bears HATE the sound of my whistle and make a hasty retreat.

As a result of all this bear activity on our property, I thought it was best to learn everything I could about them simply for my own safety. It's been a fascinating experience to say the least.

Two females have recently emerged from hibernation with cubs. Both Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood had flings with Bearzilla (extra LARGE male bear) last summer. Goldilocks once again, gave birth to quadruplets, and Red Riding Hood gave birth to triplets. I have to think of some names for these new cubs (hee hee!) I hope to have photos soon, and will post them here. The cubs are about the size of tiny lab puppies right now, but they can climb like monkeys already.

Female Bears have cubs every other year. It's hard to believe that Goldilocks has had two sets of quadruplets in 3 years!! Let's see that's...um...ah...well a whole herd-o-bears!

Becky

Yes, I take precautions with our bird feeders and garbage cans. In March the bird feeders come down; especially the suet feeder for the woodpeckers. Our garbage cans are locked inside our garage.

I have more problems with the yearlings than I do with the adult bears. You see, the yearlings are very playful critters, and their curiosity is high. Many of my garden tools have turned into "bear toys." Last spring when I brought my hose reels and garden hoses out of storage, they gleefully unrolled 150 feet of hose and dragged it across the meadow into the woods. Once the hose reached it's end they nearly tugged the spigot off the house! My hose reel was hanging in the air! Not being one to get into a tug-o-war match with bears, I just had to wait until they tired of playing with the hose before I could retrieve it.

Large flower pots are another favorite. They enjoy tipping them over and standing on them (well balanced I might add), and rolling them across the yard with all 4 feet. The site of this makes circus bears look like amateurs.

The biggest mystery was the disappearance of my small garden hand tools last summer which was solved by my dog Pancho. At first I thought I was turning into a scatter-brain misplacing all my garden tools. One day while hiking with my dog, he became obsessed with digging under a log. I let him have his digging in the dirt fun, and he uncovered a rotting deer leg along with my garden pliers, screwdriver, a couple of my gardening gloves, and 2 hand trowels. All buried in the same spot. Had my garden tools become "prized bear toys" buried along with a deer leg for a midnight bear snack and play session? The scatter-brain mystery was solved, but another mystery was created. There are plenty of things around my yard and garden for the "bear thieves" to steal. Why these items? And how does a bear retrieve a canvas chair from a deer stand? My chair was taken out of the deer stand enclosure, down the ladder and far into the woods...undamaged. Huh? Well at least I found my chair without a bear sitting in it (hee hee).

BooBooBearBecky

Everyone Else-
As promised, here are a few photos of Red Riding Hood and her cubs. Red is a first time mom with 3 cubs I have named Trixie, Dixie and Pixie for identification purposes in my photos.

I keep telling my dog, Pancho, not to leave his toys laying about in our yard and that he needs to pick them up after playing, but he never listens. Now his favorite basketball is squashed.

From Red Riding Ho...

Click on the photo or link above to see more photos of Red. I had to convert one of the photos to black and white because it was taken at dusk. However, I've never seen a mother bear nursing her cubs and I was dumbstruck when she rolled over on her back in our meadow and her babies nestled up to her to nurse. The photo I took of a mother bear nursing her cubs doesn't do what I actually saw justice, but it's very interesting nonetheless.

On a sad note, I'm sorry to report that my most photogenic bear, Goldilocks, for the last 3 1/2 years has disappeared. I saw Goldilocks twice in April with her 4 cubs. This is her second set of quadruplets in 3 years, so she was a favorite of my nature photography sessions. Goldilocks was the matriarch of our forest. That means she was the BOSS. The boss of every living creature in our woods. Seeing Goldilocks for the first time 3 1/2 years ago, is what prompted my curiousity about bear behavior.

How did I really know that Goldilocks somehow met her unfortunate demise? Because her 4 cubs bawled their heads off for 3 days in the top of an oak tree outside my living room window. I'm ashamed to say that I closed the windows and took my hearing aids out because the contant squealing and bawling was driving me nuts! Actually I've never heard such a desperate sound from a living thing in my life.

After much guilt, I did what any person who appreciates wildlife would do. I called the appropriate wildlife authorities. Here are their responses (organization names withheld)

1. "We can destroy them if they are an annoyance." (me: WHAT THE HELL!!!!????)

2. "We can hand raise them to adulthood but their chances of surving on their own after we release them is minimal." (me: HOW MUCH IS MINIMAL?)

3. "We can contain them in captivity, but only 50% will survive." (me: UM...AH....50% OF 4 CUBS IS 2; THAT MEANS 1/2 OF THE LITTER WILL DIE. CAPTIVITY? FOREVER?)

I finally got a hold of place that does research on black backs in the wild (but not rescue). With their information, I went from bear photographer to "bear mom."

I understand that this is a controversial subject, so unless there is an interest, I will end my bear updates here. Just so you know....the cubs are not in captivity. So far I've taught them how to climb up a tree when told (not using my human voice/but a mother bear sound instead), taught them to forage, eat clover, to drink, to scrape tree bark for bugs, and to dig up ant hills for bear delicacies (ant larva...yuk). We're currenting working on consuming insects (the cubs....not me god forbid...I just pretend), and soon wild berries. I never touch or talk to them with human words. I'm going about this task WITHOUT turning wild creatures into pets. So far, all 4 cubs are surviving. I've been doing this for two months, and would love to share the experience. Again I don't want to offend anyone, but just like the person who rescued baby ducks in our wildlife garden forum, the authorties were useless. I also dreaded the thought of 4 baby cubs dying up in the top my oak tree limbs, and I really needed to put my hearing aids back in.

Yesterday, the cubs and I all fell asleep under the same tree. I snuck away for a photo op. I've named them in "gardenweb fashion" Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern. Enjoy.

BooBooBearBecky (hmmmm??? maybe I should change that to the bear whisperer)

Never gave bears much thought before-they only existed in movies and remote areas. Then I bought a second home bordering a large state park. When my husband heard mooing in the woods, he thought a farmer had a stray cow to tend to. Then, our neighbor (aptly nicknamed Grizzley) told us it was mamma bear calling her cubs. Eventually mamma was "relocated" (we were told) and her two cubs were left behind.

A bear recently trashed my bird feeders. My reaction was a high power rifle to protect myself and my dogs against a fierce attack. Got a pamphlet from the local camp store on living with blackbears in Maryland and within a half hour a large male black bear crossed the road in front of us. I was a kid all over again, no fear, only utter amazement. Humans don't have a monopoly on this earth and there is room for bears. It's people who have to change their ways to adapt to nature. I felt so stupid.

There will be no complaints from me to DNR for fear this bear will be "relocated". He is welcome on my property but I have heard grumblings from neighbors. As land becomes available and funds permit, I will purchase additional acreage bordering state property to keep it out of the hands of developers. Not just for bears but for all the hard pressed critters.

There will always be controversy when living among creatures we fear but we should really fear our own ignorance more.

Becky, your bears are absolutely beautiful and divinely blessed to have you. I envy your passion that is guaranteed to earn you the nut label but you are what Mother Nature intended.

Please don't stop your stories.

Linda

Malinda-
The only other female in our woods this year with cubs is Red Riding Hood. I made every attempt to "hang out" with Red and her 3 babies, Trixie, Dixie, and Pixie. My thinking was that even if Red would have just adopted at least ONE of the cubs it would be a huge advantage. Her cubs and my cubs do interact, and once my runt, Fern, even snuggled up to Red!! When Red departed the area we were all hanging out in (That’d be Me [the only one without black fur and claws], Forrest, Flower, Flora & Fern along with Red, Trixie, Dixie & Pixie….’yep count em’…that’s me with 8 [picture me peeing my pants] yes 8 bears!!!!) Holy cow! Anyway Fern trotted along with Red and her 3 babies but returned 2 hours later galloping right up to me. Can you imagine how shocked I was that Fern would prefer me over Red? After all, Red knows how to dispense milk properly to her cubs and I all have is a cheap plastic bucket that contains substitute milk made from powder.

Medo-
Well I’m happy that you found this post! My orphan cubs are finding more of their own food in the woods now, so I hope to post more frequent updates and photos. I’m attempting to post video as well, but uTube shreds the quality of my video clips, so I’m looking for alternatives. Some of my cub videos are just a hoot!

tracey_nj6-
There was one organization I found that would take the cubs and raise them in captivity and release them as adults. I was just disappointed when they informed me that only 50% of the cubs would survive. And even the 50% that would be released as adults had a low chance of survival and returning to the wild. I was hoping that I could beat the odds and go for 100% survival without ever going the captivity route. Certainly a huge undertaking on my part with perhaps unrealistic hopes, but in the end I honestly felt that the baby orphan cubs had the best chance with me, "the nutcase."

Linda-
Seeing a black bear "for real" (not in a zoo or a cage) is quite an exhilarating experience isn’t it? I’m so happy to hear that you had a change of heart about bears after you got to see one out and about. Yes, our home is in the woods, but the bears were here first. Who am I to tell them they have to move out? For me, education was the key for learning to co-exist near them. When I read your post Linda, I nearly fell out of my chair because I was laughing so darn hard. What you wrote….."I envy your passion that is guaranteed to earn you the nut label." Well that has already happened! Yes, everyone who knows I’m doing this truly thinks I have taken leave of my senses. And perhaps I have?

Now for the really good stuff…..a cub update and pictures!

I’ve been taking care of these 4 orphan bear cubs (Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern) since the end of April. No fences, no cages, and no human words. So far, so good. I have 4 healthy, happy, chubby bear cubs that are learning to fend for themselves. Yippy!

Feeding and food prep took on new meaning when I learned just how much it took to fill 4 hungry bear cub tummies. We started with milk replacer and two big calf bowls from the farm store. That quickly expanded to milk with soft foods and FOUR big calf bowls when Forrest and Fern began their food fights. Feedings became much easier when they began to get their choppers. In case you're having trouble picking me out in the photo below, I am the one that's not wearing black fur.

Since I could not be with the cubs full time, I had to rely on Forrest, the leader of the pack, to keep the crew in order. Forrest is the largest male cub of the 4, and seems to be clearly suited for the challenge. I’m amazed how this young cub took the on the responsibility for his siblings. The other 3 cubs won’t do anything unless Forrest does it first. When Forrest climbs up a tree the others follow. When Forrest decides it’s time to go the others quickly line up single file and follow. When the cubs are playing and lollygagging around, Forrest is the one who keeps watch.

Yet at times, all 4 cubs will snap their heads in my direction and run for the base of a tree when they detect a strange noise or movement. You see, a mother bear at this moment would send her cubs up a tree and she would investigate the activity. So, I did the same. It seemed so odd to have the cubs all watching me from the tree branches while I was trying to be brave and explore whatever it was that frightened them. So I ended up chasing chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons and turkeys away (boy did I ever feel foolish chasing a wild turkey). So strange to think that I had to teach a bear NOT to be frightened of these small woodland critters. I was quite pleased when the cubs started doing their own chasing and false charges instead of running up a tree in fright.

Red Riding Hood and her cubs were invaluable when it came time to finding food in the woods. I just watched what they were eating. I pretended to eat it, and the orphan cubs followed suit. Red Riding Hood and I have developed some type of respectful relationship. I don’t know how else to describe it. We can be in the same area with some distance between us, but she seems to understand that like her, we both need to protect our cubs. For example, one day in June, which is mating season for bears, a strange male wondered into our neck of the woods. We both made the noise to send our cubs up a tree, and I nearly fainted when all 7 cubs (that’s Trixie, Dixie, Pixie, Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern) all went up the same tree.

If I could have I would have joined the cub party in the oak tree, because I was unfamiliar with this strange male bear. While I was standing there wondering "what should I do now???" Red chased the big fella off. So here I am standing under this big ole oak tree with 7 bear cubs above me and once again wondering "what should I do now???" Red returned about 10 minutes later, called her cubs down from the tree and departed the area. Well here’s where my bear mothering techniques suck big time. I can’t seem to make the noise a mother bear makes to call her cubs. You should’ve seen some of the strange looks I got from the orphans in my attempts to duplicate this sound. Sometimes I even accidentally frightened them with my verbal pretend bear sputterings. So I made up my own calling noise. It sounds like smooch. I make the smooching noise everytime I bring their food out, and when I want them to follow or come. Most times it works, but sometimes they won’t come down from a tree no matter what. It’s not uncommon for the cubs to sleep hanging over a tree branch or the fork in a tree branch for 3 or 4 hours. And that’s usually when I sit down, doze off, and then wake up with them sleeping around me. The first time this happened I was afraid to move! Then I got case of uncontrollable giggles and had to stifle my laughter with my hands. I simply could not believe what I was seeing!

The cubs have their fun times too. They love to wrestle, chase each other and play hide & seek. Fern is incredibly insistent on initiating physical play with me. I try to divert her attention with a dog toy, ball or some other object. Engaging in physical play with them now would mean BIG (as in bears get pretty darn BIG) problems later on. They like my stuffed "Babe the Pig" the best and sometimes they even suckle on Babe. They love their Mr. Turtle pool and cool treats (frozen jello or frozen pudding) on a really hot day.

They have a few odd behaviors that I can’t seem to figure out….my feet. They LOVE my feet. Perhaps I have really stinky feet? They sniff and lick my feet and try to pull off my shoes! Sometimes I just give up and remove my shoes and toss out my stinky socks (and very very quickly put my shoes back on because I sure don’t want any bear cubs licking my toes!!). They run away with my smelly socks in their mouths like they just won a big prize. Another behavior I have yet to figure out…..the cubs MUST touch me. These are gentle nose touches and once in a while a paw touch. I’ve gotten used to this but at first it was a bit disturbing. I nearly yelped when Flower licked a fat juicy ant off my bare leg. I still resist the temptation to touch them. I suppose they crave that touching thing from a mother bear, but they seem to cuddle and touch other plenty so I’m hoping that is enough to fulfill that need. Oh don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to snatch up their furry little bodies and snuggle with them, but I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do in this case.

Soon the blackberries will be ripe and I’ll be teaching the cubs to eat berries. I plan on eating my fill too. And so will nearly every bear in the county. We have blackberries abound in our woods and last summer when the berry ripeness was at it’s peak, I counted 14 different bears in one day consuming mass quantities of blackberries.

Next on the agenda is hibernation. Wild bears actually begin scoping out denning prospects around August. I haven’t quite decided how to handle this situation yet. I’m hoping that instincts will take hold but I may need to provide a bit of guidance. I do know that it is imperative that all 4 cubs hibernate in the same den for survival. Ordinarily, a mother bear hibernates with her cubs the first winter. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about spending the winter in a hole with 4 bear cubs. I’m attending a black bear field course study in August so perhaps the experts can offer me some insight. I certainly fill the bill for a bonafide "nutcase," but I have no intentions of indulging in the practice of hibernation myself. But when you think about it, wouldn’t it be nice to sleep the winter away and awake to wild flowers in the spring?

From Orphan Cubs

Click on the link or photo above to view the orphan bear cub photos I have uploaded so far.

More updates and photos as time permits.
BooBooBearBecky (a/k/a "the bear whisperer")

Please keep us informed and I wish you success in getting them to hibernate.

You are doing something very unique and fascinating, certainly not the usual boring life. If it takes being a nutcase to do something so original, then it sounds like fun to be a nutcase!

It's unfortunate you can't hibernate with your babies, the idea of hibernating away the winter is very appealing. I feel that way every January. :)

Maureen

I am wondering about what they will do when they are larger and still looking for food from a bowl. I just can't imagine anyone that isn't a millionaire having enough resources to feed four adult bears.

Are you independently wealthy?

What do you plan to do with these bears after they become adults?

I have a friend who is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in NJ. She is licensed for bears, and keeps them separate from her staff, volunteers and other mammals. It costs her a fortune to overwinter them, which she must do before they are released as yearlings. She feeds them once a day, and scares the &hi* out of them regularly, to keep their fear of people.

In the spring, bears wake and travel. They cover many miles in their search for food & territory.

I think your work is kind but misguided. I wish you the best.

Didn't read all of it but I will later, all I wanted to tell you,.. good luck and a big thank you for posting
your wonderful story and pictures with us!!!

Konrad

I'm not saying that the options these bear cubs had were good ones, but now she is raising bears that have learned not to be afraid of people AND not only that, look at the pictures, look at the containers... these bears have learned that containers provided by people contain food....

If you know anything about living in bear country (I used to live in WI), bears who aren't afraid of people, who look for food in people containers, become labeled nuisance bears. Its not a good label for a bear.

I agree, she didn't like what she was told, therefore she did what she could to help the bear cubs.
I would have done the same thing!

Kudos to Becky!!!!!!!!

If Becky wants to become a zoo or game farm, then kudos to her. She is going to have to start raising money fast, as its an expensive proposition.

If she thinks these cubs will become wild and live on their own, without being a nuisance to others, she is mistaken.

kallen305
I’m happy that my bear pictures make you smile. I’m not a good photographer at all. I just got really lucky with the subject matter at hand. Attempting to photograph 4 bear cubs all at once has been a challenge. I don’t take my camera equipment with me very often when the cubs and I are tramping around the woods. I need to keep my wits about me. Also, the cubs are fascinated with my camera and they want to play with it. I wipe bear nose prints off the lens often. I usually get most of my photos when the cubs are occupied with food or play.

terrene-
I think the cubs are pretty cute too. Even more so with each one developing their own personality. Forrest is the serious one. Flower is the shy one, Flora is the special one with a gentle soul, and Fern is the goofball class clown. This summer has been an experience that I consider nuttier than usual. More like surreal!

Maureen-
You were amazed at my pictures? Wow! What a compliment. Thanks. Watching all the wildlife in the woods surrounding our home IS just like watching the National Geographic Channel.

softballmom
The den search may not be up to me actually. The cubs have gained so much more independence in the latter half of this summer. In fact, I’m no longer able to keep up with the little rascals in the woods any longer. It’s amazing how 4 creatures of their size can simply disappear in the brush, ferns and trees. I still plan to create a couple of denning spots for them in our woods where trees have fallen just in case. In our area bears like to create dens at the base of uprooted trees and dig under them.

joepyeweed
I estimate the weight of the bears to be around 50 pounds now. They need to put on a few more pounds before hibernation which shouldn’t be too hard considering the amount of acorns and berries that are ripe in our woods now.

No, I am not independently wealthy (sure would be nice though). No, I am not a millionaire (I clip coupons and shop at discount stores).

Once the bear cubs got their choppers (around June), teaching the bear cubs to find natural food in the forest has been a priority. Supplemental feeding from me dropped off gradually to once a day, since food in the forest became plentiful this summer. There were many days the cubs needed no supplemental food at all. Watching them learning to forage for themselves sure made me proud of them.

As for the containers I carried their food in, I considered it a necessity because when I invited them to join me for dinner in my kitchen they refused to use silverware, so I sent them back to the woods to forage on their own. Such baaaaad table manners. Actually bears are very delicate eaters. One would imagine them slopping food down in a pig-like fashion. This is not the case. Their lips are separate from their gums, and they can use them like fingers. It’s pretty cool to watch, especially when they delicately pluck a blackberry from a bush or nibble the head off a wildflower without breaking the stem. Did you know that a bear can eat thousands of bugs, caterpillars, beatles, slugs and army worms in a single day? I say bon appetit to them and thanks for preventing a bug invasion in my garden.

Once the bears cubs become adults, I won’t have "to do" anything with them. 3 of the 4 are males and they will instinctively seek out their own territory. This "family break up" occurs naturally with bear families in June. Cubs stay with their mothers the summer after they are born, hibernate with their mother that winter, emerge from hibernation as a family the following spring, then naturally disperse in June. A mother bear will allow her female offspring to overlap a portion of her territory. The male offspring instinctively seek out their own territory and can travel great distances to do so.

skippy05
Thanks for all the kind words. It means a lot to me. I grew up on a farm where animal life was highly valued. I guess once I moved into the woods of the north, those values continued to thrive. As for writing a book….well I’m a rotten proof reader. My vision is about as bad as my hearing. I’m typing this in a 20 point font on an oversized monitor. I have retinopathy and the beginnings of glaucoma. It’s nice to know that my disabilities are meaningless to the bear cubs. When they want my attention, they lightly touch me with their noses or gently lay a paw on my arm or leg.

elly_nj-
The orphan bear cubs are naturally fearful of humans and human sounds. I’ve done a few harmless experiments to put this to the test. These bear cubs are not pets nor are they tame. The cubs recognize me because of my scent. I am regarded as a non-threat to them based on my scent. Your scent, on the other hand, would send them racing into the underbrush or high in the tree tops. I don’t think it will cost me a fortune to overwinter them, in fact it shouldn’t cost me anything. Unless of course I actually know exactly where they are hibernating in the woods, and invest in a high tech infrared camera to peek into their den and upload live streaming video of four bear cubs hibernating to the internet (just kidding!!) As for your friend who is a wildlife rehabilitator, there are alternative theories about bear behavior which can be found here:

http://www.bear.org/website/

I was lucky enough to attend a field study course with this black bear researcher, Lynn Rogers, PhD (see web site link above for more info). He and his team of scientists have over 30 years of experience studying black bears and their behaviors. Seems a lot of what was previously believed about black bears is a bunch of bunk. There’s lots of really interesting information about black bears on his website. Perhaps your Rehabilitator friend might be interested in checking it out.

thyme2dig-
You echo my sentiments exactly. After all, we live in an area that is heavily wooded and not densely populated. I live on a dead end gravel road without any full time neighbors. The bear population here seems to be thriving and unobtrusive, so why not give the cubs a chance to just be "bears in the woods?" Perhaps my view is too simplistic?

Konrad-
Well I’m thrilled you stumbled upon my post. I think my bear cub experience is a bit odd, but worth sharing. Stay tuned, as I have a feeling we are only at the mid point of this story. The orphan cubs are growing up fast, and their journey has yet to unfold.

Joepyeweed-
Please check out this web page about black bear myths and misconceptions. It’s interesting and informative.

http://www.bear.org/website/Myths-Misconceptions/

skippy05-
Thanks Skippy05. I agree, kudos to me for not caring what other people think and carrying on in my usual "nutcase" fashion.

Joepigweed-
I tried my best to adopt the orphans to a nursing mother bear. Didn’t work out. It would have been quite a story though….can you imagine? Mother of 3 cubs adopts 4 orphan cubs!?!. That’s like a whole herd of cubs!

No, I’m not starting a zoo, however I sometimes feel as though hiking in our woodlands is like being at a zoo (except no cages or bars). It’s a thrilling experience to observe wildlife in nature. I don’t have to "wait for the orphan bear cubs to become wild." They already are.

Well now that I’ve addressed all your questions and comments, It’s time to go check out my trail camera. Since the cubs are spending so much more time on their own this fall, I borrowed my husband’s trail camera to try and monitor the activities of the quadruplet bear cubs. So far I’ve captured shots of raccoons, birds, squirrels and a close up of a bear nose. I can’t tell which bear was checking out the trail camera because all I got were it’s nostrils. I strap the camera to different trees in the woods each day, and so far no bears have run off with it thank goodness.

A quick cub update:
Forrest, Flower, Flora & Fern are doing great! I will post more pictures this week-end and describe their progression over the summer in more detail.

BooBooBearBecky

"Never kiss an ugly bear nor dance with an ugly man."

Konrad

I really admire what you are doing, and it seems to me that you are breaking new ground in how humans interact and co-exist with the wildlife around us. Joepyeweed does bring up some good points, and I would hate for your bears or any bears to be harmed because they have become too habituated to human activity. Perhaps you are taking a risk, but if we don't take risks, how will we learn? And these bear cubs would have been doomed otherwise.

If we (the big we) can learn something from your experiences, it is well worth what you are doing IMO.

At the moment the quadruplet orphan bear cubs, Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern are doing great! They are fat, healthy and nearing the point of hibernation.

From Orphan Cubs

I’ve spent an extensive amount of time with the cubs since April and I’ve come to know them as individuals. Each one has their own unique personality, behaviors and quirks. Let me introduce them to you one at a time.

FORREST

From Orphan Cubs

Forrest, male, is the largest of the four and stands out as the leader. The other cubs take all their queues from Forrest. When to go, when to stay, when to take cover. Forrest could easily survive on his own and in fact would probably fare better without the burden of his siblings. However, he remains true to his family and takes his brood’s safety very seriously. Forrest’s main competition for the leadership role was often tested by Fern "the runt." I was often grateful to Forrest for using his leadership skills to keep Fern in line, because I sure had a tough time doing it. If you wanted to learn about classic bear behaviors, Forrest would be the bear to watch. He takes life in the woods very seriously and is always on guard. I nicknamed Forrest "the watcher."

From Orphan Cubs

FLOWER
Flower, female, began her life as the second largest bear cub in the family. As summer progressed and her three brothers grew up, she has become the smallest. This is natural as typical male bears tend to be larger and heavier than the females. Flower was a very shy cub and I feared starvation for her during my first rescue attempts. She has since formed a special bond with me that goes a bit deeper than her brothers. Flower would win a bear beauty contest if one existed. Her features are exquisite and a bit more delicate and defined.

From Orphan Cubs

Flower sometimes ended up alone with me when her brothers ventured off at a pace she was unable to maintain. She would seek out physical comfort from me with gentle touches, and when startled run behind me for protection. I trust Flower more than her siblings and perhaps our bond is a good thing as she will most likely stake out her territory in the geographic area she was born in. If she survives to adulthood, I’m quite certain our paths will cross again.

From Orphan Cubs

FLORA
Flora, male, was the third largest cub. Gentle and forthright in his manner, yet always the cautious one. If anything had happened to Forrest, I was always certain that Flora would emerge as the leader. Flora is now close to the same size as Forrest. Flora has a bit of an overbite that makes his nose appear a bit turned up.

From Orphan Cubs

Flora was always the first cub to run up a tree when frightened, yet always the first cub to approach me when I appeared in the woods. Flora has a clear trust in me that I don’t take lightly. His eyes appear soulful, wise and knowing.

From Orphan Cubs

FERN
Fern, male, was born the runt of the litter. Perhaps this is what made him the spitfire he is today. Always my "problem child" and forever the class clown. Although this naughty cub was not to be trusted, he provided me with reasons to laugh so hard and loud, that at times I would scare all the cubs away with it. Fern has never given up with his attempts to engage in physical play with me. I fell back on the time honored children’s game of hide-n-seek to avoid the wrestling matches he so wanted me to participate in. The look on this face in the photo below is one of playful mischief. Sometimes I even used dog toys to keep Fern’s playful antics in check.

From Orphan Cubs

From Orphan Cubs

Fern is probably a bit too smart for his own good, and his curiosity knows no limits. His intelligence is far superior than that of his siblings even if his seriousness about being a bear stinks. The thing I know for certain about Fern is that even though his instincts are a bit convoluted, he will survive with his cleverness.

From Orphan Cubs

I actually became quite adept at anticipating Fern’s antics but was taken by surprise recently when he snuck up behind me and snatched my gardening gloves out of my front jeans pocket, all the while speeding past me like a streak of black fur. When I attempted to get my gloves back, Fern was simply delighted and a game of keep away ensued. What a brat.

From Orphan Cubs

WEANING
Mother bears normally wean their cubs off milk around the beginning of September. I started weaning the orphan cubs off milk replacer a few weeks earlier than that. It took about two weeks of gradually decreasing the amount I provided for them. It seemed to go well, and Fern was the only cub who fell backwards a bit and began suckling on Babe the Pig again (something they all did as small cubs).

From Orphan Cubs

MY FEET STILL STINK
As some of you may recall, my feet seemed to hold a mysteriously high interest for the cubs when they were younger. At least I no longer have to toss my socks out to the cubs in order to get them to leave my feet alone. The funny thing is though, as our excursions through the woods expanded during the summer months, I began finding socks stuck here and there throughout our forest. My socks. My stinky socks that the cubs ran off with like coveted prizes. Currently, it’s just a few sniffs and licks of my shoes. Maybe my feet don’t stink so bad anymore?

From Orphan Cubs

BEARS LIKE CARROTS AS MUCH AS HONEY
I discovered quite by accident that bears like carrots. Did I say "like?" I meant LOVE! I’m quite certain carrots rank up there with Winnie the Pooh’s pot of honey. Watching the cubs delicately hold carrots with their forepaws while devouring them, was another one of those times I was sent into a fit of giggles!

From Orphan Cubs

From Orphan Cubs

From Orphan Cubs

THE SECRET’S OUT
Although the cubs are about 95% on their own now, they still stop by for an occasional visit and snack. I no longer search them out in the woods and call them with our special secret sound. However, when I do see the cubs, I make my secret greeting sound to alert them to my presence. Imagine my surprise (shock) when I uttered my greeting call, to have SEVEN cubs appear, instead of just four. Um ah…that’s like three extra cubs!! Oh, I get it….Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern are having a play date with Trixie, Dixie and Pixie (Red Riding Hood’s three cubs). Flower approached me as usual for her "touch me" greeting, except when the cub was touching me I realized….HEY…..you’re not Flower! Or Fern! Or Flora! Or Forrest! Holy Cow I was peeing my pants! It wasTrixie! Red’s largest male cub. Oh-Oh. Then of course Trixie started licking my stupid stinky feet. Good grief!!! And so I’ve come to realize that I MUST invest in some serious foot stink prevention powder. After a few minutes had passed, I saw Red Riding Hood nearby simply relaxing in the ferns under an oak tree nibbling on acorns. I was too stunned to whip out my camera and take a photo of all seven cubs surrounding me. My eyes remained glued to Red, who almost seemed grateful to have her brood out of her hair, so she could do some serious eating in preparation for hibernation. After a few weeks of this, I’ve come to the conclusion that Red and her cubs have indeed learned my "secret sound," because now when I greet my four orphan cubs with my secret greeting sound, Red and her three cubs appear. I’m sure that ALL of you are finding this scenario as amazing (shocking?) as me. Imagine me sitting in our woods or meadow surrounded by EIGHT bears who pay little attention to me except to let me know that my feet stink. Even if my orphans aren’t ready for hibernation, I think I am now ready for them to start. This latest develop with a multitude of bears is more than….well more than I can "bear!"

HIBERNATION
My husband and I built 2 dens for the cubs. One directly in the earth under some fallen trees and another in a natural indentation in the ground next to a thicket of dense brush. We laid logs over the "hole," then covered it with brush and leaves. I tried to replicate what I saw in the brush pile bear den I explored at the Black Bear Field Study Course in Ely. I also think the cubs have been frequenting the den they were born in. They have entered and exited the "man-made" brush pile den, but I can't figure out if they have chosen it for a winter denning area yet. In any case, the quads are moving very slow and lethargic these days. Mostly nibbling on greens or chomping on acorns and lazy playing. I think hibernation mode is starting to set in. You can see just how large the cubs have gotten in the photo below.

From Orphan Cubs

These four orphan bear cubs have given me so much more than I have given them. This has truly been an experience that I will never forget, and no matter how hard I try, the words I put to paper regarding this bear adventure just don’t seem to do it justice. As fall comes to a close, I finally did it. I captured a photo of all four bear cubs together in one spot all looking up at the same time. Not an easy feat (believe me, I’ve been trying all summer!)
LEFT TO RIGHT: Flora, Flower, Forrest, Fern

From Orphan Cubs

If the cubs hibernate successfully and emerge next spring, I feel that my goal will have been accomplished: "Raise four wild orphan black bear cubs in the wild without resorting to captivity or demise." I think I’m almost there.

Thanks for reading about my adventure.

BooBooBearBecky

Konrad

Amazing that the 8 bears are so comfortable hanging out with each other and with you. I love your description of Red Riding Hood relaxing while YOU are on baby-sitting duty!

As for the "stinky sock" fetish - LOL - what is up with that? Perhaps the smell of your feet helps them to identify you or reinforces some sort of bond with you? Similar to the way dogs greet each other by sniffing each others behinds...;)

What are you going to do when they emerge from hibernation though? Do you worry about them approaching your neighbors when they start to find their own territory?

Annette

Thank you so much for sharing this.

•Dunk hand and fingers in the pail of milk
•Trickle drops of milk on the snout and lips of the calf
•Let the calf lick your fingers and suckle
•Slowly move your hand down into the pail of milk
•Now the calf is drinking milk on it’s own!

I did the same thing with the bear cubs, because bottle feeding 4 cubs at the same time would have been impossible unless I had 8 arms. Not to worry….at the time I was teaching the cubs to drink, they had no teeth.

terrene-
Yes, the bear cubs were 95% on their own when I wrote my last post. Between my last post and the time when they hibernated, they were completely on their own. This time period of complete independence covered last November and December.

You commented on Red’s Riding Hood’s comfort level with me as the summer and fall progressed. This is something I am still mystified about. She pulled her baby sitting trick often last fall while she was feeding heavily prior to hibernation. She’d spot me and the quad cubs, drop her 3 cubs off, and completely LEAVE the area to go feed. Isn’t that strange? I have no explanation for her behavior whatsoever.

The "bear greeting" is a nose touch and sniff. So yes, terrene I suppose this is similar to the dog butt sniff. OMG, does that mean my feet have the aroma of "eau de dog butt?!?" So maybe when the bear cubs touched, sniffed, and licked my feet they were greeting me. They also often touched and sniffed my hair with their noses if I was sitting on the ground. I sure hope my hair isn’t giving off a dog butt aroma.

tennecil-
Keep reading because I have lots of updates today!! (and new photos too)

Christie-
You stated: "I think it's amazing that the other bears would approach you and even lick your feet. It makes a person wonder how much they can communicate with each other."

Actually bears communicate quite a bit with each other. Not with roars and growls so much, but with huffs, puffs, sniffs & grunts, along with teeth clacking, tongue clicking, nose & paw touches, licks, posturing, gestures & stiff legged walking. If you’d like to hear some of the noises that black bear’s make and read about what they mean, check this out:

Black Bear Sounds

You asked about my role in the bears’ lives once they emerge from hibernation. Actually when the cubs emerge from hibernation, my part in their lives will be mostly over. I’ll be there at first to offer assurance and familiarity, but for the most part, they’ve learned everything they need to know to survive on their own. When the male cubs leave to find their own territory, it will be up them (not me) where they go. My neighbors are few and far between, so they will have lots of forest area to chose from. I am curious to see what choice the female cub, Flower, makes because mother black bears allow their daughters to share/overlap her territory. If Flower makes her home in our woods, does that mean she thinks she's my daughter? Or would it be because Flower's real mother, Goldilocks resided in our woods before she passed on? She could even to chose to spend the summer traveling with one of her sibling brothers.

lucky1_gardener-
I’m glad that you and your 10 year old daughter enjoyed my posts and photos about the black bears and other critters in our woodlands. Stay tuned for more…

organic_bassetlvr-
I have taken in stray cats and dogs as well, I just never imagined that I’d take in 4 orphan bear cubs! I once snuck a stray kitten home in my purse! It took my husband 3 months to notice that one day there were 4 cats sitting in the living room instead of 3 (up until that time all 4 cats had never been in the same room; how very clever of them.) I’m pretty sure he would have noticed 4 black bear cubs sitting on the couch fighting over the remote control though. My only previous experience with wildlife rescue was a baby squirrel. I called him Peanut.

Playintheyard-
You said, "I don't know if I would have the guts to go out in the yard never mind walk thru the woods." I gave your statement quite a bit of thought. I’ve gone through a good portion of my life being afraid of what might happen if I do this or if I do that...and no matter how much I wrangled with some of life's toughest decisions, I always took the "sure bet." So what if, just for once, you did something in life without being afraid, even though failure was high? That’s what happened to me when I first encountered the bears and other critters in our woods. To some this might sound foolish…after all what does being frightened of a bear have to do with living one’s life? It demonstrated to me that sometimes risks just need to be taken because the payoff will come back to you a hundred times over, despite the skeptics. I can’t even begin to express how much this cub raising experience has taught me about myself. It actually CHANGED me. I've learned that courage comes in many forms.

Marciasc-
Oh boy another person who thinks I should write a book (I’m seeing a theme here mentioned by several posters). Hmm…let’s see…what would we title it??? "The Nutcase Who Rescued Some Scared Bear Cubs?" Not very catchy eh? How about "BooBooBearBecky and the Four Bears?" Suggestions anyone? Not that a book will actually be written, but ya never know and it’s kind of fun to dream about being a famous author (ha ha!)

Woodlandgal-
I’m so happy that you had a chance to just visit the Bear Center in Ely last summer! What a great place to learn about bears and their behavior. I can’t thank the North American Bear Center enough for offering the Black Bear Field Study training course, because it taught me so much about bears. I was very lucky to be able to attend the course during my bear cub rescue mission. Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield are THE experts when it comes to black bears. I see they still have a few openings for this year’s course if anyone is interested.

North American Bear Center

bbcathy-
You said, "No matter what the outcome remember efforts like these are surely what gets a person into heaven." Ya think? Really? Gosh I sure hope so! My mom always said to "treat others as you would want to be treated." I’d like to think that if I was stranded in a tree balling my head off for several days, starving and frightened, that someone would want to rescue me.

kat in KS-
You asked, "And now, I'm almost afraid to ask.... but did the cubs hibernate successfully?"

And the answer is (suspenseful lengthy drum roll please) You'll have to keep reading to find out.

sowngrow-
Yes, I have worked hard to take care of those little bear cubs. Will the work pay off? Will Forrest, Flower, Flora & Fern thrive as adults? Will they make it on their own? Only time will tell.

Orphan Bear Cub Update

So let’s get everyone caught up!

My last post was in October. We had a mild fall which meant a plentiful source of food for the local fauna and of course the orphan bear cubs. All of the cubs were doing what comes naturally this time year, EAT!

The Last Supper

I gradually decreased their supplemental feedings down to nothing by the end of October. Seems like a strange thing for me to do given that bears need all the nutrition they can get prior to hibernation, however, their hunger caused them to forage heavily on their own. As you can see by the photos below they kept up their weight gain. Woodland food was plentiful.

October passed into November, with mild weather continuing. And, oh my, what strange happenings. For a week, Fern foraged with Red and her 3 cubs. Was Fern, the class clown, finally going to get a serious lickin' from a REAL bear mom and learn how to behave the way a bear should? And then for the next two weeks I watched in total bewilderment and wonder as Red, Trixie, Dixie, Pixie, Forrest, Flower, Flora & Fern foraged together! For two whole weeks!! Was Red Riding Hood finally adopting my orphan cubs now that all the cubs were weaned and eating on their own? Would my orphans hibernate with Red & Family? It was like watching the Brady Bunch Bears! Then things settled down the last days of November and the game of musical bear chairs ended. Red and her 3 cubs disappeared, mostly like to begin hibernation, and the 4 orphan cubs went back to being "the quadruplets." I assumed that the cubs would take notice of Red's behavior and begin hibernation as well. In anticipation of them holing up soon, I captured these photos of my butter ball bear babies. FAT FAT FAT. Yipeeeee!

I can't believe they are still dragging "Babe the Pig." around! I thought that stuffed toy was long gone.

In anticipation of the cubs not taking inititive to search out their own den, my husband and I built them one. Here's a picture.

With the aid of a field trail camera and a solar power source, I was able to keep tabs on the activity surrounding the man made bear den. Here's a picture taken after 3 of the cubs went inside the den, with Flora on the outside peeking in.

Other critters showed interest in the den as well. This is Mo, from Goldilocks' previous set of quadruplets checking out the den. Mo is a single female who mated with Peter Pan and Robyn Hood last June.

Even Mr. Foxworthy seems a bit interested. You can see Mrs. Foxworthy's eyes glowing on the other side of the brush pile.

Alas, Big Sigh. My carefully designed and engineered bear den was rejected. Here's the last photo I got of the cubs on the trail camera, taken the 3rd week of December (notice that Fern's eye's are glowing like the little demon he is.) I was worried sick because the cubs should have been hibernating by this time.

Just a few days later, the snow blanketed the area entirely. I checked for bear footprints often but saw nothing. I took this as a good sign. And so the long cold snowy winter began. I hoped for the best, but prepared myself for the worst. And I spent all winter wondering...

Wondering if the cubs had found proper shelter.
Wondering if they had gained enough weight prior to hibernation.
Wondering if they hibernated at all.
Wondering if they would die.
Wondering if they would live.

Wondering and wondering and wondering and imagining all sorts of outcomes. Self doubt crept in and reared it's ugly head. Had I done the right thing? Had I interfered with nature? What was I doing...a novice nature photographer trying to rear bear cubs??? Who the heck did I think I was anyway....attempting to raise quadruplet orphan bear cubs in the wild! All the naysayers ganged up on me in one fell swoop.

I set it all aside and spent the winter focused on training my new hearing dog, Maximus Aurlius (rest in peace Pancho Villa) sniff sniff.

BooBooBearBecky

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

The snow is finally melted, the weather is warming up. Yeah!!!

Red Riding Hood and her 3 yearlings emerged from hibernation the second week of March. The all looked healthy and happy. None of the orphan cubs were in tow though. After all the bonding the two families participated in last fall, I thought perhaps their relationship would continue once all the bears were out of hibernation.

I watched Red and family off and on for a month. March passed by and April began, and still no orphan cubs. I was really starting to worry now, but had made my peace with the outcome of the orphan cubs either way.

I took a few hikes in the woods to look for "bear sign," something I learned a great deal about while attending bear camp in Ely last summer. I was looking for typical signs of bears in the woods and found plenty…claw marks on trees, bear hair on tree bark, fresh scrapes on dead logs & of course bear scat (for you non-woodsy people that's p**p), but I found nothing that specifically pointed to the orphan cubs.

On April 14th I found something in the woods that made me stop in my tracks.

Babe the pig with his ears suckled clean off.

I was certain that Babe the pig had both of his ears intact last fall. I checked some cub photos just to be sure. Yep, there was Babe, count em’ 1, 2, furry pink ears. Could it be that the orphan bear cubs had dragged Babe into their hibernation den with them? And now brought him back out after hibernating minus his ears? They were certainly attached to that silly stuffed toy pig, that’s for sure. I realized I was grasping for straws and imagining silly stories as I wiped a tear from my eye. I held Babe up to my face and breathed in bear drool. I took Babe back to the house with me for a keepsake. I decided I would never launder him again. Holy Cow what a sentimental sad sap I was turning into.

What happened next is just plain weird. The next day, April 15th, I was heading to the living room to watch TV, and I just got this "inkling feeling." I retrieved my binoculars and went to the window and lo and behold there they were! 4 yearling bear cubs and YES by golly it was Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern nibbling on emerging clover in the meadow. I let out a whoop so loud, my dog even started howling and barking. I grabbed my coat and hat and then I remembered that the cubs didn’t like it when I wore a hat (I think it prevented them from sniffing my hair.) Tossed the hat and snagged Babe out of the laundry room and raced out to greet them. My heart was pounding…Would they remember me?? Before I write one more word, those of you who have been following this thread will recognize exactly what these bear cubs are doing. See the pictures below:

Yep, my feet still stink!! Horaaaay!! Feet licking and hair sniffing abound. They remembered me! I’m stunned!!! How can this be?

My eyes watered a bit, because it was at this exact moment that it smacked me upside the head with what I had actually achieved. I successfully raised quadruplet orphan bear cubs in the wild!! Last year it was just such a one day at a time thing, and I was so wrapped up in their care and research regarding their care that I never really had time to step back and look at what I was I doing objectively. I now realize what a truly rare and unusual thing I have accomplished. I'm proud of myself for taking on what at first seemed like an impossible task that was far beyond my means (skill-wise), and tackling it. I am now wearing my "nutcase bear badge" with honor instead of shame (and grinning ear to ear about it!)

All 4 of the yearling bear cubs looked healthy, a little groggy from recently emerging from hibernation, but still very, very good indeed. Their winter coats looked shiny, thick and luxurious. They were hanging out next to what I call their "rescue tree." This is the large oak tree on the edge of our meadow where I first found them last April in distress. I happily returned Babe the pig to his rightful owners, the orphan bear cubs. I snapped some photos.

I decided this called for a special celebration. I ran to the house and fetched some carrots and cream cheese. Went outside and made my special sound to call the cubs…they all looked up and they all came to me. Do bears have memory? I’m beginning to think so.

Flower

Flora

Forrest

Missing from the carrot cream cheese photo shoot is Fern, who ran off with the cream cheese container. Typical Fern. When he returned, I realized just how much "the runt of the litter" had grown. He was now second largest. Forrest still remains the largest and has held on to his role as the leader. Flora lost the most weight of the quads, but still looks good. Flower is the smallest, same as last fall.

The yearling cubs spent 3 whole days with me before heading out on their own. As I understand it, bears don’t just suddenly wake from hibernation. It takes a little time for them regain their full alertness, and I observed this behavior in the time I spent with them.

7 days since their emergence, the cubs are now bounding all over the woods, foraging on their own, and visiting favorite spots. It seems as though they remember where certain plants grow that they like to eat. Right now their favorite meal is early spring plants & greens that are just beginning to emerge, along with leaf buds.

I guess all mom’s go through a time where they face cutting the apron strings. I always laughed at that saying, but I’m quite certain I know what they are feeling now. It comes with feelings of happiness, sadness, and a whole lot of love.

Let’s all wish Forrest, Flower, Flora and Fern a successful spring and summer season as they begin their new way of life as Yearling Bears.

BooBooBearBecky

p.s On the same day that the quad yearlings showed up, Mo, my garden bear, (that's a whole 'nother story), appeared in the woods with cubs.

Mo, 3 1/2 year old female, first time Mom.
-Daughter of Goldilocks' previous set of quadruplets
-Sibling of Enie, Meenie & Miney
-Step sister to Forrest, Flower, Flora & Fern
-Mate of Peter Pan and Robyn Hood (yes females can mate with multiple males and have multiple cubs by each male)
-Mother of ?(1) ?(2) ?(3) ?(4)

Crap...I'm running out of bear names!!!

You wondered if bears have memory,yes,every thing does, there are those naysayers who will tell you other wise,but do not pay attention to them.
Every year,for about 4 years, we had pair of Phobia birdes make a nest on the underside of our porch,they came back every year, to the same spot,we would sit out there with them, they tought their babies how to leave the nest with us out there,execpt for one year,a Bluejay,discoved they had a nest there,and was very interested in their babies, i would scare them off,when i was out there, but i could not be out there all the time,and sure enough, one day we got up,went out side,and the babies were gone,we know the Blue Jay took them.
The pair of Phibie went to the nest only a couple of times,and did not lay thieir second set of eggs there.
The next year,they came back, flew up to that same spot,made some bird noises,only they could understand,but they did not build there.They remembered what had happened,this will be the third year with no nest,we have seen them this year already,they have vivited the area, but so far, no nest building.
My Koi, fish remember me,even the frogs i have in the pond,i can feed them by hand,but if some one new comes up to the pond, they hop in the water.Nature is a wonderful thing, a gift given to us all,if you live in harmony with nature,you reap the rewards,don't let any one tell yuou other wise.
I hope you keep us updated Becky, and please, start that book, i will buy it!
Carol

Anyone can write a book nowadays Becky. It wouldn't have to be selected by a publisher. Of course if you wanted to make money, you might need one. We made a hardback "book" after my daughters wedding with her photos. We used Snapfish.com after seeing it on Oprah. They were showing how to put kids' artwork into a permanent book on her show but you can use photos too or whatever else you can scan. It looks just like a regular book when they're done with photos on each page and words below. I'm not sure what it would cost. We had a special Oprah offer so we only had to pay postage.

Yeah, you really should write a book! And, your new dog is a real beauty!

Bears should be treated as wild animals. They should not be fed people food in people containers. Nor should they play with people toys.

The pictures are very neat, I hope nothing but the best for the bears. I just question the need to continue to feed these bears, especially in their second year.

So glad that the 4 orphan bears made it through the winter and are doing well. I imagine you worried yourself sick over the winter, and with the delay in their emergence. A big congratulations to you!!

Your story would make a fabulous book, for children and adults alike. There was a show on Animal Planet recently called "Bear Man of Kamchatka". Bear expert Charlie Russel raised orphan grizzlies by hand in the Russian wilderness. "Upon discovering the motherless cubs in 1997, Russell acted as a surrogate parent and taught the cubs how to hunt and fend for themselves.."

Sounds like you...Maybe you should be the "Bear Woman of Wisconsin"!