June and cubs - 09-28-07Honey took a stroll to her alternate den today but returned to her favorite window den as Lily Fans captured in these two links of her going and then returning.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1010908015608495&set =o.139730642706794&type=2&theater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL4dBn-_mG8&feature=youtu.be
In this 1-minute video clip of June and family from September 28, 2007, https://youtu.be/36lb7tS6TJc, the camera caught them in beautiful light that shows off their thick winter coats. It was grouse hunting season. June and the cubs were foraging in an open clear-cut when they heard a shot just over a rise. They ran for the safety of trees. Surrounded by trees, they paused to use their eyes, ears, and noses to assess the situation. Caution took precedence, and June led Lily, Cal, and Bud deeper into the forest. 
June stands to assess the danger - 09-28-07What makes this doubly interesting is that June is supposedly habituated to people and has lost her fear of them. At least that’s what we hear Minnesota authorities spouting. None of them and very few biologists have spent enough time with bears to know how location specific that loss of fear is, and then for only certain situations. With Sue, a human accompanying the family, they still are fleeing from people in the woods, which is why runners and hikers have not had problems with these supposedly fearless bears and why they don’t go up to people for food—contrary to DNR claims that we train them to do exactly that. On the other hand, it is interesting that June, the bear most accustomed to being with people, reacted to a gunshot (together with the sounds of voices and a 4-wheeler). Many bears ignore a gunshot as being no different from thunder that they’ve heard throughout their lives. To complicate the story, though, during thunderstorms, the combination of rain, wind, thunder, and lightning drives some bears to take refuge in tall trees.
June and her cubs - 09-28-07Along this line, Marshall Helmberger of the Timberjay Newspaper wrote a courageous thought-provoking editorial about outdated attitudes versus a willingness to coexist with wildlife. http://www.timberjay.com/stories/If-you-want-to-be-feared-youd-better-git-your-gun,12020. People who fear bears will criticize the editorial and cling to their fears, but once again Marshall is right on in his thinking. It’s the kind of thinking that led the vast majority of Eagles Nest residents to accept bears as part of living in this beautiful, wild area. Yes, there are some residents who greatly fear bears and always will, but the vast majority love this area, including its bears. It will be interesting to read your comments under the article tomorrow. Marshall will be surprised to see such far-reaching interest in his editorial. We hope readers include every legislator who is wondering whether to accept the DNR’s claims of public safety issues associated with feeding bears. We hope legislators will understand the attitudes of people who have spent enough time living alongside nature to accept it. For over 50 years, the residents of Eagles Nest Community have fed bears and had fewer bear problems than we know of in any comparable area.
The last we heard of the Senate no-feeding bill was that it was headed back to the Senate Finance Committee, but we don’t see it scheduled. The DNR is trying hard to get the bear-feeding ban through one way or another while proclaiming it is for public safety. The people who live around here know better.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center