Tess - the Mighty Bear Hunter!

This picture was taken by our friend, Glenda Roe. She took it today after Tess had tree-d the bear! That's right...you read it correctly! Tess, the mighty bear hunter had tree-d a bear!

First thing this morning we had heard of a bear encounter within the campground. Seems a bear knocked into a tent and even bent the tent poles. Well, this afternoon, dinner was just about ready...we were all eating inside our motorhome because there was a threat of rain. Anyhow, someone was coming in the door and Tess took that opportunity to run right out. About an hour earlier, there was a deer at Ray & Glenda's and we thought Tess was after it. She had seen it earlier and had been barking and barking at it. She took off like a streak of lightening, ran around the loop of the campground, made a mad dash towards where the deer had been, back up and then back down past where the earlier deer sighting had been. I went inside to retrieve two of her favorite toys...a sure way to get her back - NOT WHEN THERE'S A BEAR IN HER SIGHT! I was yelling at her "get it" to try to get her attention to the fact that I had her toys. There was a couple in a tent trailer and they yelled "why are you telling her to get it? It's a bear!" They didn't realize I wasn't telling her to get "it"! Anyhow, that's when Don and I saw the bear! Now I'm not real familiar with bears, but this one didn't look too big to me, but I know that bears can be mighty dangerous! I wasn't getting to close to it, but it didn't seem to faze Tess one bit! The closer I got to Tess, the closer she got to the bear! Don went back to the motorhome to get his gun...in case the bear decided to attack Tess. I'm still trying to get Tess's attention but even after she saw her toys...she didn't care! Finally, the bear heads up a tree...about 6 or 7 feet and Tess is just barking and barking at this thing! Then the bear slides down and sits/lays on this rock. I shouted as loud and as serious as I could at Tess "NO" and I think she knew I meant business! After several "NO"s, she looked at me and I threw one of her toys...she finally went after it! It took us about six or seven throws before we got her. Meanwhile, Don had given Lloyd his gun and told him he was probably a better shot...if the bear needed to be shot! Jerri and Glenda had gotten their cameras and were busy taking pictures! At one point in time...between thinking what would I do if Tess actually got into a fight with the bear and what I would do if the bear started coming towards me...I was thinking "damn, I wish I had my camera"! So, we're not sure why the bear was so complacent towards Tess...maybe it had already eaten? It didn't feel too threatened (not sure about that one since it did try to go up the tree)? It's sick or injured? But whatever the reasons...we feel very lucky this story didn't end up with a trip to the vet for massive amounts of stitches...or worse!

After we got Tess away, we were able to get some pictures and then we left the bear alone. It wasn't too long before it sauntered away, very close to motorhomes, trailers and tents on the back row. The campground hosts were notified and I think they notified the park rangers. I guess, from what the campground host told me, a trap was set at Prune Creek which is a few miles from us, but now maybe one will get set here as well.

As for us...we'll be leaving here tomorrow and going about 15-20 miles away. We are going to "free range" for a few days. In Wyoming, in certain areas you can park your vehicles within the park as long as you are a certain distance away from the road. Hope we encounter some more moose (or elk as we saw the other night), but the bears can stay away! Tess doesn't seem the least afraid of them...she was within about 4-6 feet of one today. I might have been 10-12 feet away...and don't really want to experience anything closer! It was a very exciting day...one we don't wish to repeat too soon!