Rabun
Senior Member
Saturday morning I packed up to do a little scouting. Been seeing many bears lately so stayed on high alert. Following the scouting trip (after seeing nothing), was sitting on deck cooling off and doing a couple emails on my phone. About ten minutes had gone by...just sitting there typing away on the phone. Noticed some movement in the corner of my eye and saw a nose poke out behind a tree (tree is one of those that grow through a cut out in the deck). Didn't really look at it thinking it was my brothers black Scottie...then I see a great big paw (for a scottie) come into sight and then the whole head...bear head. I turn my head and we lock eyes...across an umbrella table 5 feet away at the most. I'm sitting there with my hands on my phone and eyes locked with this young bear and not knowing how he may react, I reach and place my hand on my pistol (holstered) and at the same time pull my camera up and try and get a picture of it. Pretty much as soon as I move, he bolts right over the deck railing down an 8 foot vertical and scampers off. The only way the bear got to where he was in the first place was to walk down the adjacent gravel driveway, step from there to the deck and walk right behind me no more than 3 feet away...never heard a sound. I'm not sure he even knew I was there until I moved. Phone was on silent so no key noise and the only movement I was making before I saw him was my fingers typing, so with my back to him, he wouldn't have seen that. Smelled me...absolutely...but there's always human sent there. I'm surprised he didn't sniff the back of my neck.
Amazed at how stealthy these bears can be. i walked down that gravel as soft as I could...made a racket....could hear the dogs walking down the gravel no problem. Never felt endangered but definitely a stimulating encounter. I think the same for him as he left a trail of pee all the way out.
Amazed at how stealthy these bears can be. i walked down that gravel as soft as I could...made a racket....could hear the dogs walking down the gravel no problem. Never felt endangered but definitely a stimulating encounter. I think the same for him as he left a trail of pee all the way out.