out_west_jess's Favorites

Turned a corner and saw this bear only a few meters from the path. The bear did not turn away or react immediately when we saw it and when we started making noise; a hiking partner said it left when a hiker with a dog came up the path but I was too busy skedaddling to see. The bear has an ear tag reading number 162.

The second photo was taken without any zoom on my phone camera, if that gives an indication of distance.

This cat let me hang out in the field with it for 20+ minutes while it was hunting. A few minutes of perfect light happened near the end as it just hung out, and circumstances allowed me to stay hidden behind a structure with it closer than normal as the sun set to get these photos.

I have more pics of these folks than anyone would want to see. They are my regular visitors and sleep about 40 feet up in the big pine near my front door. I do not encourage this in any way, but they are undeterred.

At the base, inside a very large tree (est. 6-7' diameter tree) was a mother bear and at least one newborn cub. In the second photo, I circled the mom's snout, where you can also see its nostrils. In the photos after that, are screenshots of a video I took of the bear licking, so you can see the tongue. We did not disturb the bear and kept our distance, and we saw one cat-size bear cub, practically hairless, cross the hole that we were looking into, but we did not get a photo. Newborns are born in Jan/Feb, so this makes sense.

Looks like 1 or 2 year old, super cute American black bear. Cinnamon color, very healthy looking and very curious/friendly. Was checking the parked cars and then went picking at a bee hive down near the stream.

Hiking down Bear Canyon we met up with this huge black bear several times. He was on and off the same trail as us for about an hour. Every time we encountered him we would step back with our dogs and let him pass then count to 1,000. He surprised us again by moving off the trail and taking higher ground. He watched us closely as we maneuvered the dogs and ourselves past him. This was the largest bear I’ve ever seen, including those in Alaska, and one of those WOW moments.
Located just a few miles into the mountains above Pasadena, CA.