In the fall/winter of 2006, Bear Valley received a new visitor, a large female brown bear. Here are some comments left on this website to tell a bit of the story:
2006-11-28 18:12:19 While I was taking a walk with my family, we found some bear print in the snow and the tree was all scratched up. Then we went to the beach and we found a spinal column in the bushes, that maybe the bear tore up. I brought it home. I might put a picture of it on this website. . . —IsabellaZuccarino
2006-11-29 10:26:39 Yes, there has been a bear in the area for the last couple weeks, down as far as Monty Wolfe. Bear has been making snow for maybe 10 years —JimClarke
2006-11-29 17:15:50 Jim, thanks. I can't tell if there is any manmade snow by the BV web cam above. There's a story going around that the bear got into someones house? —TonyZuccarino
2006-11-29 21:03:08 Ain't no story. Indeed, 'the' bear got into shutters of my woodroom (attached to house on Tollgate), tore into 50# dogfood, scattering most of it, drug the bag up into neighbors yard. The day before, "HE" got into my friend's kitchen at Tamarack, and tore apart the fridge and cupboards. I cleaned up around the yard, but a neighbor had already put grating/2x4's over the door and locked it, so couldn't clean up inside. They were in Wa state for holiday, and just this week got to come back to clean up. Hope he is hibernating by now. Hard to leave my 14 yr old dog outside these days! —SusiLewis
2006-11-29 21:04:51 He also walked into a house on John Ebbetss... sat on the bed, and caused a ruckus when the tenant and dogs woke up... a bit chaotic. I am sure the story will end up in the Cub. No sightings lately, so perhaps he is tired of our noisemakings. —SusiLewis
2006-12-02 19:07:56 ANother Bear invasion ..2 nites ago. HE broke into the newly fortified shutters to our woodroom.... got the freezer door open, ripped off shelves and feasted on oatmeal/raisin cookies, turkey bones in a bag, and chicken breasts. we attempted to make lots of noise, and he ambled away, then came back, for the bits he had dropped... managed to get to freezer to shut it and gather up what he dropped. Jeff Sanford came over and helped scare him off,and added another layer of screwed on plywood over the shutters. That was midnite...and thought we were home free after scaring him off. NOOOOO! he came back at 2am..tried to get in again, but no luck and we hollered and yelled and he finally ambled off very slowly. HE is addicted to hydrogenated soybean oil and high fructose syrup now. TOTALLY ruined bear. he won't hibernate if can keep up this diet. Garbage addicted bears are tweaked and won't hibernate. A lesson to us all. —SusiLewis
2006-12-03 09:33:46 Amazing story Susi. So what happens now... will some agency try to relocate the bear? —TonyZuccarino
2006-12-03 10:26:55 word has it that Fish and Game doesnt relocate anymore...So not sure if there are any alternatives other than putting down. The sheriff's office is working on how to handle. But need another bear 'siting' to do anything. I prefer it not to be in my backyard! Someone was setting off fireworks last nite... perhaps to scare it away, OR just having fun. I dunno. came from the direction of Fremont. —SusiLewis
2006-12-17 09:12:35 Any new word on the Bear? New sightings or breaking in anywhere? Just curious. —LuannSelecky
2006-12-17 11:49:08 Last BEAR action was around the 9th at Lake ALpine, reportedly got in to 4+ cabins there. No sightings since that I know of. Maybe he went to sleep finally, as he was moving very slooooww at our house, barely could lift his head, and wallow away. (on 12-2). —SusiLewis
