Portrait of an American black bear (Ursus americanus)

[Bo Zarts]

22. No .. the bear most assuredly knew exactly where I was.

I had just turned the bear around with several blasts from a police whistle, as it got too close to the steps of the lookout for my comfort. The bear was not real happy, to wax anthropomorphically. When the bear turned towards the lookout, and after I quickly took some photos, I gave a few blasts on my air horn. The bear then departed very quickly.

I know all too well that a bear can and will climb a fire tower for food. A rental lookout in the Idaho panhandle was significantly damaged when renters left food in the tower and a bear went up the stairs after what it smelled. And a fire lookout friend of mine awoke one night to the sounds of a bear on the catwalk outside his door.