Guest nosajpo Report post Posted September 4, 2011 Last week I had something pretty cool happen to me and it got me thinking afterwards. I was archery deer hunting in 23 and walked to the top of this ridge. As soon as I topped out on the ridge I hear a crashing coming from the trees and right towards me. I freeze and out comes a bear cub running full speed directly towards me. It stopped literally 2 feet in front of me ( I could have picked it up by its neck hide)and started sniffing the air the way bears do. Then it starts calling to its mom repeatedly (at this point I start to worry). I am thinking please dont call your mom in. I keep still the whole time while it is calling and sniffing for about 5 minutes. Then it walks off slowly and goes down the hill about 50 yds and starts calling again. I decided to just keep still and see what plays out and the cub kept running back and forth in front of me for about 30 minutes calling, sniffing, etc... That got me thinking and since I am not too experienced with bears thought I would ask here. Are the mama bears starting to cut the little ones loose already? It was prob about a 50 lb cub. You think mama was around and I just couldnt see her or if she was alive would she have been right by it? Just wondering if the cub was actually alone or not? Any ideas???? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted September 4, 2011 My guess is that mom is dead. That seems like a pretty small cub to be on its own. I will watch this thread with great interest, as I am always wanting to learn a bit more about bears. Thanks for posting the question. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cw4192 Report post Posted September 4, 2011 I would say Mom was dead, if not you would have had a handful on you'er plate if Mom was alive. Sad to say but Cub is gonna be dead too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 4, 2011 Bear cubs stay with their mom for more than a year, like about a year and a half. Females only have cubs every other year so they can raise the cub. Sounds like his mom is dead, perhaps killed during the recent bear season. I think it's possible the cub could survive, let's hope he does. Normally he would den with his mother this winter....let's hope he figures all that out on his own.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 5, 2011 He looked very healthy up til this point in his life so at least he has a good start. Hope he can make it through til next spring as well. I did smell something decaying further down in the canyon from where I was. Wonder if it was its mom? Think I will go back up and check it out soon.. let us know what you find. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted September 5, 2011 was wondering if this happens often? was also wondering if bear hunters kill the mom not knowing the cub was around or? pretty sure it would be hard for a young bear to survive the winter on it's own. james Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted September 6, 2011 We can only hope hunters would not shoot a mom bear with a cub, but you can not put it past all the people that go out in the woods. If a bear has a cub and you shoot the bear you are shooting way to fast. Most of the time if you see one you see the other not to many seconds after. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
