I don’t know what it is about hazelnuts, but it seems they are a favorite of bears from Minnesota to Pennsylvania! Dr. Lynn Rogers and his associate Sue Mansfield www.bearstudy.org often use hazelnuts as treats with their research bears ~ the nuts keep the bears happily occupied as the researchers change batteries and radio collars and take heart rates, all without any tranquilization. Now, I am no researcher and I have no intention of getting close enough to these wild animals to actually touch them. Still, when I happened to see that shock of jet black against the green grass along the driveway and recognized Buddy, I grabbed the cameras and a handful of hazelnuts and headed outside.
For over 40 years, Doc has been using the phrase, “It’s me bear”, when approaching the bears he studies … so much so that it will probably be the title of his book currently in the process of being written. I think it’s the tone and cadence of his voice rather than the words, but I can’t resist… “It’s me Buddy, It’s me bear”, I chant as I set up the little video camera on a tripod, and then head towards the rock. Buddy watches me with no visible care or concern, and I toss a few hazelnuts in the direction of the HRD. “Want a treat, Buddy?” Without hesitation, he starts ambling towards me. Finding the hazelnuts I’d tossed, I hear the crunch as he cracks the nut and removes the meat, leaving the hard shell behind. I toss the few remaining nuts in his direction, and turn my own attention to the camera hanging around my neck. Through the lens, I see ….. Buddy, heading right towards me! I hold up my empty hands as Buddy locates another nut in the grass and looks at me, hoping for another toss or two. “That’s all I have, bear”. I am not afraid, and it seems, neither as he. He takes a step closer, and I know I must maintain that boundary between us, so I step backwards, causing him to flinch and retreat a bit as well. Respectful distance.
Leaving Buddy to his treats, I returned to the comfort of the air conditioned house to see what I was able to capture on video. A few minutes later, I glanced out the window to see if Buddy was still there and, low and behold, now Spooky and her cub are at the rock. Whoa, back out the door with the video camera … this bear is much larger that Buddy and does not have the same personality. It’s a still day, no wind to give me away, and I moved quietly down the steps to the lower deck to set up the camera. Spooky heard me and ran off into the thicket, but the cub stayed put.
Food and fear … the two governing instincts of a bears’ life. Spooky’s fear won out, but her cubs desire for food was stronger than Mama’s concern. A minute or two later, I can see Spooky in the shadows at the woods’ edge; she cautiously moves out towards her cub and the feeding rock. Camera capturing the moment, I see her looking directly at me (I'm up there on the deck, area circled) and I say,”Hi Spooky Mama, I see you”. Hummmpft….. There she goes running off, cub in tow. Well, at least they’re still together ~ no family break up yet. I can’t help but hope Spooky stays in the neighborhood, maybe she’ll even mate with my dear little Buddy and bring some cubbies around next year. For now, though, I’ll reserve the hazelnuts for Buddy. He is one extraordinary bear, and I know it. "Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations". Luther Standing Bear Oglala Sioux 1868-1937
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