Bear Cubs in Pine Woods

A group of visitors to the Baker Woods, Marie Steinbeck and crew, espied three bear cubs escaping into the upper reaches of a white pine at the back of Woodcutter Loop. Check out the photographic evidence! Bears are a precious part of the Baker Woods and the forested Indian River headwaters, but caution is definitely advised.

If you encounter a bear and her cubs, make every effort to NOT get between them.

If you encounter a cub, be assured that protective mom is nearby and will not be pleased by your proximity to her cubs.

If you are lucky enough to see a bear, savor the moment and slowly back away, preferably in the direction from which you came. In my experience bears are more anxious than you to gracefully end the encounter. By the time I see an adult bear and register that it's not a huge labrador retriever or an errant black angus cow...it's gone with surprising speed and agility.