I heard Jake barking a different sort of bark the other day, so I hurried to investigate.
(Reason #947 to have a dog)
When I stuck my head out the door, I could hear Blossom3 sprinting up the driveway and out of the woods, screaming, "A BEAR, A BEAR, A BEAR!!!!!!"
I was sprinting then, at least until I could get all the details and ascertain if anyone was in danger.
The Blossoms stayed pretty cool. They hustled themselves and their sisters out of the area.
This young bear had been treed, most likely by Jake.
We'd recently been studying hibernation and estivation, so it was fascinating to observe a bear up close.
Black bears don't technically hibernate. They go into a torpid state.
This bear likely ventured out because he was too itchy, from the mange that he's battling.
After snapping pictures and enjoying this spectacle with our neighbors, we reported him to the Game Commission. Mange is highly contagious and can easily spread to other animals.
There have been a few other sightings since that evening, so we'll see if "Ugly Ted" gets trapped and treated by the Game Commission.
That's life here in the Hollow.