Are you afraid of black bears?

[Pathfinder101]

Only time I got a little worried was when I was about 14 years old and my brother put me in a tree stand over a bear bait station - then left my ass there WAY past dark. 
 
Then all the bears came in, hell I couldn't see my nose it was so black under that thick cedar canopy and no moon and no flashlight. 
One came up my tree, I could hear it and feel the vibrations as it clawed its way up towards me - but I couldn't see it.
 
I counted 3-4 bears under me cracking bushes and sniffing around and running each other off - few huffs and jaw pops and such. 
 
 
then finally I hear the truck horn out on the gravel road a good 100 yards from the bear bait - I fired off a shot in the air to scatter the bears then walked that long black walk to the truck.
 
 
Still not scared of them, but I'll keep one hand near my gun if they don't run off when they should

Where I come from (Kettle Falls actually) we would call that a "significant emotional event"

I actually had something like that happen to me when I was about 17 (minus the tree climbing).  I was set up over a bait (no tree stand, just perched on a limb) that a bear kept hitting after dark.  So I decided to stay up there until one showed up.  About 30 minutes after dark he did.  Watched him bat around a white 5 gallon grease bucket for a while (it was a dark night, all I could see was the bucket).  I waited until he left before I climbed down. 

[BLR 243]

My 2 steers jumped the fence and joined the neighbors herd (80 + or - ) I was on  my quad checking on them in the back pasture when I see the herd in a half circle around a fir tree with a bear 5ft up the tree. Mother cows and young calves all moving in for a closer look. Mr bear jumped down from the tree ears lain back and went after moma cow the herd got a little agitated and moved on the bear and up the tree he went again this went on 3 times and I was wishing I had a camera. The 3ed time mr bear was about 6ft off the ground I buzzed over on my quad  hoping to run him further up the tree and take a pic with my phone but he jumped down and ran over towards the creek, I drove up to within 30ft of him and he just stood there lookin at me. Not a big bear 100-125lbs but entertaining. Lots of newborn calves he could be dining on. Don't fear them but respect them as a predator.

[RadSav]

I wear a seatbelt, but I'm not afraid to drive.  I lock the doors at night, but I'm not afraid I'll be killed in my sleep.  I blood trail bear with a gun, but I'm not afraid to stick one with a bow at mere yards away.  Riding in the truck at night while the blind angry squaw drives home after shooting a monster bear...Now that scares the wholly crap out of me!

[igotbigbulls]

As a victim of a black bear attack i will say that yes im afraid of black bears in certain situations. first year mamas can be very unpredictable under the wrong circumstances. 

[reagansquad]

Bears no.....cougars YES.

Must be a UW alum...

[rasbo]

I wear a seatbelt, but I'm not afraid to drive.  I lock the doors at night, but I'm not afraid I'll be killed in my sleep.  I blood trail bear with a gun, but I'm not afraid to stick one with a bow at mere yards away.  Riding in the truck at night while the blind angry squaw drives home after shooting a moster bear...Now that scares the wholly crap out of me!

[Machias]

I wear a seatbelt, but I'm not afraid to drive.  I lock the doors at night, but I'm not afraid I'll be killed in my sleep.  I blood trail bear with a gun, but I'm not afraid to stick one with a bow at mere yards away.  Riding in the truck at night while the blind angry squaw drives home after shooting a moster bear...Now that scares the wholly crap out of me!

 

[Wea300mag]

Most of the time I'm not afraid of bears. I get really nervous when I see a cub and not the sow. I do get scared when trying to recover one in chest high brush.

[Alaska316]

Yes, I am scared of them. And as soon as it gets dark. I am afraid of bigfoot also. Gun or no gun. Cant shoot what you can't see.

[boneaddict]

Squaring off....

[boneaddict]

about ready to hand my ass to me.......

[boneaddict]

The reason why......    I had been in the middle of her and her cubs with a keen eye on her, and all was fine.  I turned to see a boar standing next to me, he walked into the brush where her cubs were.   Crap hit the fan and she went on the defense.     

The time I got attacked, also had to do with two bears.   This time between two boars and I just happen to be between them and unaware of the events.

Another time Crap almost hit the fan was also with multiple bears......we rode our horses and mules between a boar and a sow during mating season. 

The cub she was protecting.

[woodman]

Squaring off....

Great photos and nice explanation!

[boneaddict]

The sow I squared off with in Alaska was gigantic.   Never imagined seeing a blackbear so big.  DANG they eat well up there.   I jumped her and her cubs while fighting through a devils club patch.   One cub shot up a tree and the other bolted.   She squared on me and made multiple charges.  She came pretty close to having a moose tag on her ear.   She was torn between the two cubs.  She finally bolted after the other one finally.   I photographed the one in the tree and moved on.   I was seeing a multitude of blacks gorging on cranberries or whatever they were.  When they have their heads down feeding, they aren't necessarily paying attention.  I'll try to find the pics of the cub in that tree.   Its bigger than most washington bears.   I think everything up there is just bigger.   Of course with some of the Kodiaks wandering around in the hood....


Somewhere out there there is a bear telling the story about when he was attacked when he was sleeping.  I was shed hunting and hopped over a big downed log.   Landed smack on top of a sleeping bear.   LOL   I went in REVERSE and he went in get the hell out of here mode. LOL   

[rasbo]

cool pics bone.I was skirting some thick stuff,and a cub jumped out of some  salmon berries ahead of me.Momma came out and slapped the Lil guy back in the berries,all the while I'm trying to pull my 44 just in case.The gun would not come out of the holster..My butt now looking like sturgeon lips feeding I'm sure ,another cub jumps out then another,momma comes back out and swats them both back into the brush,that was the last I seen of them..this did wonders for the great sucking sensation that was causing a wedgie.Went back to my rig and found that the site on the gun had worn through the liner in my holster.I had to cut the end of the holster off.I made a call that night and ordered a leather pancake holster.