Didn’t want to wake Jewel

Jewel chews her footpads - Feb 2, 2012We planned to go to Jewel’s den today to clean the lens, reposition the camera, and perhaps get some high quality video for closer examination of the cubs.  We want the Den-Watch Team to be able to tell Cub A from Cub B, and we want the schools and everyone (including us) to have the best view possible.  We might think of more meaningful names if we learned the sexes of the cubs.  We planned to go out midday when Jewel is active, but by the time we took care of other business, Jewel was asleep.  Maybe tomorrow.  

Cub on its back in Jewel's lap - Feb 2, 2012

A video of Jewel and cubs from yesterday is posted at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI53WEO5Fg0.

An excitement this morning was finding 4 sets of wolf tracks crossing the WRI property.  Not something we see very often.

Another ‘bear walk’ installment is posted below.

Thank you for all you do.

—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center  

Bear walks are never boring.  Today I parked my car on the side of Trygg Road and confidently strode off into the woods towards June’s strong signal – only to follow it through the woods, across the RR grade and discover it coming from the midst of a swamp on the other side.  I could see her cubs in the top of a cedar and I could hear hoarse, huffy vocalizations coming from the swamp so I knew she was close – but not sure what the vocalizing was all about.  The swamp was fairly deep right next to the RR grade so I chose to head east along the RR grade to where I knew there was a dry crossing.  As I was working my way back to where her signal had been coming from I suddenly realized June was coming up behind me.  I had begun feeding her the few nuts I brought when there was a sound in the direction of her cubs and she bolted off towards it.  In short order she was back with her cubs.

Faith eats snow - Feb 2, 2012We then set off through the swamp to a clear-cut where June marked a spruce and she and her cubs investigated logs.  At one point she climbed a boulder and looked around.  Her cubs joined her on the boulder.  We worked our way south to the RR grade.  She sniffed the air intently and then bolted for a red pine on the south side of the RR grade.  She climbed part way up and stood there.  Her cubs joined her in the tree.  She came down, briefly crossed back over the RR grade, and then bolted into the swamp on the south side.  Her cubs scurried down the tree to follow her – and I hurried to catch up.

As I got closer I could hear loud hoarse huffing and wondered why June was being so huffy.  Then I realized I could see June but the huffing was coming from a different direction.  I immediately suspected it was June’s sister Hazel and soon was able to confirm my suspicion when a bear briefly appeared and I recognized the tattered end of Hazel’s collar.  June huffed and lunged in my direction so I backed off a bit while still trying to video the interaction between the two bears.  June took off after Hazel and I located Hazel’s 3 cubs in a large white pine just upland and about 100 feet from the cedar June’s cubs were in.  I knew the moms would be back so I waited.

Sure enough, June circled around and headed back to the cedar her cubs were in.  As she approached, Hazel’s cubs began to moan from the top of their white pine.  Soon Hazel was back and began alternately huffing and moaning.  Mostly she was obscured by brush but occasionally she stepped into the open where I could see her.  She has not been a bear we could approach in the woods so it was a special treat to see her and video her during this encounter with June.

A vole in Lily's den - Feb 2, 2012Twice more June left and seemed to be circling the area – each time coming back along the same trail to her cub tree.  At times she lay down with her back towards Hazel and seemed to be resting.  Several times she climbed the cub tree – seemingly to check on her cubs.  Then June left and was gone so long I wondered if she was just resting nearby so I went in search of her.  She appeared almost immediately grunting and tongue-clicking to her cubs.  She chased off Hazel again and then climbed the tree her cubs were in while making threatening vocalizations in Hazel’s direction.  She remained in the cedar and seemed to actually fall asleep.  Hazel kept up the nearly constant huffing and moaning – moving back and forth in the bushes.

I hung around for just over 3 hours while the bear sisters continued to huff, blow, chomp, and moan.  The video camera battery ran down and I was aware my presence may have been a factor in Hazel’s angst so I left the sisters to work things out.  Two hours later I returned to monitor their signals from the RR grade and found them still in the same place – and still vocalizing!

Hazel’s territory is mainly north of Rte 169 east of Soudan – although she does return to the feeding stations on Trygg Road from time to time.  She had recently returned with 3 cubs and Lynn had replaced her collar with the collar we removed from Cinder.  Cinder had managed to chew on her collar over the winter – thus the shredded end.

Interestingly, Hazel’s return to the Trygg Road area coincided with June’s 4-hour cub-less jaunt through her territory where she was marking by dripping urine and straddling trees.  She may have been aware of Hazel’s presence long before we were.

Addendum:  The following day I located June’s signal in the same general area where she confronted her sister Hazel, and Hazel has moved off to the northwest.

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