So I was walking around on our land, and I heard some crows making some racket. Usually this means they have a hawk or an owl cornered or there is some sort of multi-clan discussion going on. I walked over, looked up and there about 15 feet up in a large pine tree about 30 feet away from me was a good sized - but probably youngish - adult bear with a shocked look on its face. I back-pedaled at warp speed as the bear slid down the trunk and hustled off in the opposite direction. We were both on the south side of a small hill, so when I got around to the west end of the hill, the bear - farther away this time - came barreling along the north side of the hill. I shouted hey! and the bear slammed on the brakes, turned and ran back the way it came.

That, I would say, was a good bear encounter. I've sweated a bit thinking about what could have happened. I had no chance if the bear came out of the tree after me. I had no chance if the bear's route around the hill was to ambush me. But that bear didn't want to have anything to do with me.

Thank you Bear.