The Black Bear Knows How To Do It...
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
Canada
April 3, 2016 8:01am CST
They eat like crazy people all fall, they gain a lot of weight, if possible they get pregnant (not that I ever want to do that again), then they find or dig a nice hole somewhere usually in the side of a mountain or under a rock and they sleep the winter away. Their home for the winter is called a Den.
They don't hibernate because its winter. They hibernate because there is nothing for them to eat during winter. They are herbivores. (they eat plants)
They have their babies and nurse them during hibernation.
They don't pee or poop in their den. That amazed me. Do they hold it all winter without eating or if they get the urge do they wonder out into the cold? (I couldn't find the answer to that question in the 5 minutes I used to find some facts I didn't know.)
When spring comes and there are plants and things they like to eat they wake up go for a walk after sleeping. From what I read, they sleep walk a while until they fully wake up.
Here it is April 2016 and there is still snow. We had an interesting day and night of snow and wind.
Fingers-crossed, this will be the last blast of winter.
Fingers-crossed we don't have bears while camping this summer.
The photos I took yesterday, its pretty but its darn cold! Darn!
18 people like this
18 responses
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
@salonga No they are plant eaters. The only time they are dangerous is if your get between a momma and a baby. I've heard of people being knocked down because they got between ...They weren't hurt, just pushed to get out of the way. But that would scare me big time...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
5 Apr 16
I have seen them in zoos too but they do live in the mountains that I camp in so we see one now and again...
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
6 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate Thanks for looking that up Marilyn, it's a really interesting article. I'm amazed that the burn 4000 calories a day during hibernation.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
I think since I saw a red winged blackbird, it will be warn in a couple of weeks...fingers crossed. I don't know the answer to that Bear question so I looked it up...
The more I learn about black bears, the more I fall in love with these incredible creatures. While working at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort I have had many opportunities to watch bears in their natural habitat; foraging for food, climbing trees, or passing t
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
12 Apr 16
According to the weather man we will be warm by the weekend. Thanks I hope so too.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
They usually will run from you but I prefer not to meet one too. We were told to act and look big and noisy...also suggested to stand on the table if surprised while camping...I think I would run for the car..
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382068)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate I think I'd run for the car too.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
They sleep walk in early spring, by the time its time to camp. they are far away and living a life in the mountains.
1 person likes this
@cyberrat (204)
• Portsmouth, Ohio
11 Apr 16
This is interesting about bears and poop LOL
Log in Login to your account Log in Remember Me Forgot your password? Forgot your username? Register 218-365-7879 / 877-365-7879 weather for Ely HomeBear FactsBlack BearHibernationBears' Mysterious 'Fecal Plug' The fecal plug has long been one of the my
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
12 Apr 16
I have never seen a more fascinating story about poop Thanks for that share.
@allknowing (153530)
• India
3 Apr 16
Beautiful photos. If they can really hold back that is a mystery really.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
9 Apr 16
I think if bears were smart they would go to Florida for the winter and enjoy the sun!!! lol
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
9 Apr 16
Good idea except they are sleeping in a cave somewhere when we go to Florida...and trust me we don't want to share our warm weather with a bear, a friend is ok but no bears.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15724)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I think that I want to come back as a bear next time around lol... except for the getting pregnant once a year. On the other hand, if you were asleep, you wouldn't know anyway would you. ;)
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
I'm guessing the female bears have a surprise in the spring called a cub, you have to wonder if they know they are pregnant. As far as camping the year the dumps were closed, the bears were everywhere. We could hear them during the night...We moved our tents from the wilderness site to a safer one near the ranger and then we slept soundly. We kept the wilderness site for the day time because we had 8 children under the age of 8 and they needed to be noisy...
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
The wind is blowing the snow all over and we are below 0. Just looking out the window makes me cold...
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
3 Apr 16
yes ma'am, 'tis purty but no doubt y'ave grown quite tired'f such 'n i hope that the warmth'f spring comes'n stays'n yer neck'f the woods soon.
i could go into the details 'f why bears've no need fer usin' the restroom...but fear that many folks'd find such info quite gross, lol.
if'n the bears've 'nough to forage, they should steer clear'f the campin' grounds - 'nless they grew accustomed to gettin' tidbits from folks who jest don't seem to know better.
big hugs!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
They were pests the year new York closed the dumps and started landfill...We have only been warned maybe twice since then and never had a problem, the bear were spotted but stayed away from the humans. and ickky...I think I know what you were going to share,,, 
gross!
gross!1 person likes this
@bluesa (15022)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
5 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate , I knew they hibernated, but not about the nursing or the sleep walking. Here we are finally getting our first cold front for autumn! I hope your proper spring weather arrives soon!
1 person likes this
@fawkes62 (1276)
• United States
4 Apr 16
I don't mind snow in the spring because I know the end is coming and soon enough I'll be complaining that it's too hot. What I do mind is having beautiful weather, in the 60s and even touching 70, and then being hit with cold again, even if it is just "average cold" for the season. Average feels really cold after a few days in the mid to upper 60s. It's the up and down that drives me nuts. Hopefully your weather, and mine, gets nice, and stays nice, soon.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
I think it must be just around the corner...
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
3 Apr 16
It would be nice to sleep and not have to get up in the night, even if the night lasted months. Unfortunately I have seen it turn cold and snow here as late as the third week of April.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
5 Apr 16
I lived in Kansas for years. The good thing about snow in Kansas is that is doesn't last long or it didn't back in the 60's 70's and 80's. Our snow came three days ago and its still there...The robins are shivering...
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I had no idea, When even I've been knocked out the put a catheter me... I do know when I have to go and I'm sleeping I do wake up. I guess that's a good thing...
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56241)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I can totally understand why you'd gravitate to the black bear's habit of hibernation on a day like today! We woke up to quite cold temperatures, and although we do not really have much snow, the low temperature is as unwelcome as a black bear wandering into my yard would be! Hopefully Mother Nature will dazzle us with some spring weather soon enough.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I've got my fingers crossed for the good weather not a bear walking in my back yard...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I don't like being cold either. My hands are cold right now so I need to go do something else than type...
