This isn't a showcase - I didn't record it, but thought there might be some interest in it. I put the clips in chronological order, did a little editing to cut out dead space, and added some transitions to smooth things out and indicate breaks in time. The video was recorded by a Ring security camera and was saved from the Ring website where it was shared.
My nephew had plans to do some hiking with friends in the Smokies. They first hiked some national park trails and intended to do a section of the Appalachian trail in the national park over the next few days (Memorial Day weekend). Tired, they went back to their cabin and went to bed. He neglected to lock the vehicle, and the video captured the rest of the story. Two bears made their rounds and, finding the doors unlocked, took the opportunity to eat the dehydrated food that he had gone to a fair amount of trouble to prepare himself. His backpack was torn open and then carried off into the woods. Without the backpack and food he gave up the Appalachian trail hike.
Note the timestamp on the video. Most took place in the morning around 9:00 a.m. Of interest: At about 9:33 a.m., with one bear inside the vehicle and the other outside, a neighbor appears. He's very close, only across the drive. Shortly after, a woman appears - I assume his wife. The people go about their business apparently not noticing the bears. Shortly after, the bear on the opposite side of the vehicle gets up, walks around the back and stares at them. Watching the video I don't believe that they ever knew that the bears were there. Note that at 10:25:00 (in the timeline, not the timestamp) there's a jump in the time of day to about 7:00 p.m. After the break-in was discovered, my nephew closed and locked the vehicle. When the bears returned that evening they found that they no longer had access. Note the first bear's reaction. Priceless! The second bear tries another vehicle, and then moves to my nephew's before giving up.
John 'twosheds' McDonald wrote:Where's Ranger Smith when you need him? Yogi and BooBoo having a great time but I thought that it was just picnic baskets.
If I recollect correctly Bill Bryson's book 'A Walk in the Woods' also describes similar encouters with bears on the Appalacian Trail.
That was great video of a couple of young neighborhood hooligans. When I go backpacking I put my food in a bag and hang it up on a tree limb 30-40 yards from the campsite. I've seen bear tracks under a few times.
John 'twosheds' McDonald wrote:Where's Ranger Smith when you need him? Yogi and BooBoo having a great time but I thought that it was just picnic baskets.
John, I really think that's how the bears think of vehicles - just big picnic baskets of food put there for their enjoyment.
Steve Grisetti wrote:They're definitely smarter than the average bears.
There's a contingent of bears that encroach on human communities, compared to those who live in the wild and fear humans. I have to believe that mama bear passes to her cubs her knowledge of how to break into places like vehicles. The ability of a bear to know how to open a car door is one of those tricks.
momoffduty wrote:What great footage! The next day was funny that he was locked out. He was either having a lay down tantrum or maybe he is doing yoga? Yoga Bear!
Yoga Bear! I've heard of bears figuring out how to break into vehicles that are locked, and doing an awful amount of damage in the process. In that respect he was probably lucky.
ed wrote:That was great video of a couple of young neighborhood hooligans. When I go backpacking I put my food in a bag and hang it up on a tree limb 30-40 yards from the campsite. I've seen bear tracks under a few times.
I can imagine that seeing a bear in the wilderness would be a mixture of emotions, depending on how close the encounter was. From a distance it would be an exciting find. From too close-up it would be too much excitement!
sidd finch wrote:In California, we had the version where the girl fights back against the bear.
Saw that footage on the news! I think the girl was very lucky. She took the bear by surprise and got into the house fast enough. It could have gone terribly wrong. In the same situation I'm not sure how I would have reacted, so I can't blame her for what she did.