Photo Courtesy Amy Wilson

This Big guy was just past our pasture of Amy’s fence. It spent some time there before running off behind the house into Timber Ridge. Horses were scared and so were the dogs.

The bears are hungry! Black bears are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material.

They are day-active feeders and are very opportunistic. Roughly 90% of a bears’ diet is made up of vegetation.

In late summer, like clockwork, black bears move to oak brush habitat the middle of August in search of berries and acorns. During this fall hyperfagia phase, if the food supply is there, they will feed 20 hours a day, consuming 20,000 calories and adding 2-4 pounds of fat daily for their winter hibernation. They may eat 20-30 lbs. of chokecherries (it takes 1500 to make a pound), service berries, squaw-apples, buffalo-berries and gambel oak acorns a day.

Photo: Amy Wilson

If their usual natural food sources are scarce, they will search for alternative food, which often brings them into conflict with people.

A great website with information if you and your home come in contact with bears.

BearSMART out of Durango, CO

photo: Amy Wilson

Photo: Amy Wilson