In 30 years of harvesting the forests of Oregon I have never seen so much Bear sign as this spring. From Klamath Falls to Camp Sherman there seems to be an abundance of Bear scat everywhere. While in K Falls area my aussie shepherd was on alert most of the time for three days last week, with bear scat everywhere, and a black bear sighting one evening.
Yesterday while harvesting SW of Bend, walking old skid roads through a dense timber stand I rounded a corner to find a very large pile of very large Bear dung, still wet… meaning he deposited that pile within moments of my discovery, which means he was present where I was picking the past half hour. Not a welcome realization, being a couple of hundred yards from the sidearm in my truck… I calmly started calling for the Bear in a loud voice, and talking to my dog about the Bear while with the same pace I’d been traveling prior to, made my way back to the truck……..!
Bears are curious creatures, once while harvesting a burn in Idaho I was followed for two days up the same canyon by a bear that stayed in a thick growth of aspen while observing me. A local logger I talked to one evening told me it was likely wondering what the heck I was and what I was doing, being content with simply watching the strange creature crawling around with a bucket picking something the bear wasn’t interested in eating.
So, remember you’re in Bear Country.. when starting out to pick an area it’s a good idea to make a fuss with conversation or, as one commercial harvester used to do, sing loudly as you head into the wood. {if you ever heard this guy sing, you’d understand why it would make a Bear run, even his own mother would run…;} If you have a medium to large dog bring it along, Bears hate dogs and typically will yield to them [leave your small dogs at home, the Bear might take it for squirrel, Bears like squirrels :} If you choose to carry a sidearm [mine is no longer staying in the truck this season] think large caliber, 40, 44, 45… a 22 is just going to piss a Bear off…
Alternatively, pick with friends you can run faster than… and be BEAR AWARE!
Ky & {Keara, the tuff mountain pup} ~
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This photo looks just like last year’s stash from Clair. If I hadn’t found one nice bolete button myself, I would think it was the same photo he used last year, but no, the boletes are barely showing as shrumps in the lower elevations, so keep your eyes peeled and look under the mounded duff. We haven’t had much luck on morel front lately. If you have, please comment to encourage those of us who are tired of looking for far too long for 6 or 7 morels.
