So a friend went for a drive up where we make our huckleberry camp every year. She and her family stopped by the creek next to the place that we actually camped at the year before last and this is what they found in the sand next to the creek.
Hope they move higher before huckleberry season. Don't want to run into one while in the huckleberry patches.

Cool! I'm with you on running into what matches these foot prints! Do you have an idea what 'brand' of bear went with these prints?

Actually last winter I saw a lot of BOTH of those prints - black bear and bobcat.

The bear in the area was estimated to be about 500# and the bobcat was about 110#. We saw lots of crop damage in the fall where they had came around the house to get to the apple trees. In the winter, they were coming right into our back yard - right out the back door between the house and the two outbuildings. That space is maybe 30 feet deep. They had figured out that the apples were stored in the cold house. Also the trash trailer lived there too.

I learned quickly that when I put any of the dogs outside at night to turn on all of the outdoor flood lights before they go out. I would turn on the light and wait a couple of minutes. In that same space behind the house, I actually SAW a total of 7 bears, 11 bobcats and oodles of raccoons and opossums. There are some things that I miss about the country but they are not one (or two) of them.

I would hate to run into one.

Wear bells and carry a whistle. A loud one. Most of the time when I've come up on a bear (3 times, did make me nervous) the bear said "Oh" and went South and I said (@#%^#) and rapidly went North. Most of the time wild animals are simply trying to live a harsh life.
I've always said I'd rather lose a kid in the mountains than after dark in San Francisco or New York City or LA!! I really think it would be safer.

It is a black bear. We had a rough winter and they are probably looking for food because there is still snow in some of the higher elevations. My other friend who is part of our group, one year her and her son got between a mama and her cub. Once she realized what was happening her and her son slowly but steadily got out of the way.
We go up into some pretty remote areas to pick berrys and we always make lots of noise from the moment we get out of the truck till we get back to it. We also keep very close check on where each of us is. Oh and I and one of the other ladies carry very big guns with hollow points. We are actually more concernd about the human element than the bears.

I live in a residential area on the edge of town with the Manistee Nat'l forest starting two blocks West. Black bears and coyotes are frequent visitors. I have one daughter who won't visit after dark . I remind her my closest encounter with a bear was 7:15 in the evening and they've been seen at noon. One was trapped by the courthouse downtown recently during the day.

that would be so scary

HEY!!! I know that friend!!! T is on FB and we're going camping together in August!!! LOL I told her to not to worry, just run faster than everyone else! LOL

I'm still trying to get you to go with us. That would give me one extra person to run faster than. :lol: