In the past, we here at NRA Family have written about the importance of leaving bears alone, not feeding the bears and controlling your pets in bear country. However, whether it’s due to suburban expansion or outdoor exploration, bear-human contact is simply a fact of life for a lot of Americans. There’s nothing quite like coming face-to-face with 200+ pounds of bruin to remind a person that Nature really shorted us human beings in the claws and teeth department. So, for this #FunFriday, we’re cataloguing five close bear encounters of the “EEK!” kind for your vicarious enjoyment…from least to most terrifying.
1. Alaskans can be rather blasé about the wildlife they encounter from day to day. Still, when you’re trying to decide whether those carrots look a little aged or not, the last thing you expect is to run into a bear cub…especially one that seems determined to stomp all over the Vidalia onions.
2. OK, maybe that one wasn’t all that terrifying, unless you happen to be a head of lettuce. But perhaps you might be a little more frightened if you saw that a black bear was in your back yard…and so was your beloved pet cat, Fella. What would you do to save Fella the kitty?
3. All right, enough bait-and-switch with videos that are actually sort of cute. Imagine this: You’re sitting on a lawn chair, observing a family of grizzly bears at what you think is a pretty safe distance. Then all of a sudden, you hear a noise. Right…next…to you. (If you listen carefully, you can hear the cameraman breathing in the top 10 percent of his lungs.)
4. Did we say “terrifying”? This GoPro video, recorded by a trail biker as he is chased by a brown bear, may be the most suspenseful footage we’ve ever seen outside an IMAX theater. It may be faked footage, but it sure gave us a fright.
5. This brings us to Number Five, and we want to assure you that we have saved the best (or worst) for last. We honestly can’t tell you how this video ends, because we were simply unable to watch it all the way through. Perhaps, Dear Reader, you are stronger than we are. We hope so. (Remember, the “mute” button is your friend!)
