this post was submitted on 15 May 2026
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aww

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[–] Iusedtobeanalien@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

So gorgeous

I bet they absolutely stink though

[–] Bluewing@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Black bears are fine. I live amongst them and sometimes bump one when foraging. They are pretty safe if you and the bear don't get stupid.

Bear story time.

I have a friend that was bow hunting deer in the early part of the season and had 2 cubs come wandering down the trail. He got some nice video of them nosing around. It was all going swimmingly well. Cute little bears and some nice video footage in a beautiful fall forest.

Then one of them hit his scent, (bears have excellent noses), under the tree his stand was in. Then it started to climb the tree and the video got better. My friend was still not overly concerned. After all the bear wasn't even halfway up to the stand. But the bear didn't stop climbing until it reached the bottom of the stand. My friend was now considerably concerned. Because he had nothing with him that he could use to repel boarders beyond a very sharp pointy stick. Another concern was that if the bear did decide to climb over the stand, the stand was unlikely to support the weight of both of them. And after a 15ft fall they would probably end up in a pile together on the ground. Not a desirable outcome for either of them.

Fortunately for both of them, when the bear got close enough to get a good whiff of just what was up in the tree, it decided it was not lunch but rather something to be avoided at all costs and climbed back down as fast as possible and ran away.

My friend got some awesome video and photos plus a fine story, with proof, to tell in any hunting camp for the rest of his life.

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's crazy. I've only had one encounter where the bear didn't just take off the moment it saw or heard me. And that was when I was driving and one was crossing the road. I laid on my horn and it just looked at me like, "WTF", and continued on his way across the street.

[–] Bluewing@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

While something like this isn't very common, it does happen.

[–] crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 51 points 2 days ago (4 children)

WARNING: DO NOT PET. DO NOT GIVE SCRITCHES. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, OFFER SNUGGLES.

[–] ChillPill@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago

If not friend, why friend shaped?

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago

You're just trying to save all the snuggles for yourself

[–] nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If you give a bear a belly rub, it will want one from the inside

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

More like it'll rub its belly after a satisfying meal!

[–] xkbx@startrek.website 4 points 2 days ago

Shit yourself as LOUDLY as possible

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Cuteness with a side of certain death

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Eh, they're black bears. They tend to only fuck with people if people fuck with them first.

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

With cubs it’s very different. Every bear with cubs: very certain death. You don’t want to be seen.

[–] tamal3@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

very certain death

Uh, no? This is unproductive fearmongering. I've come across plenty of black bears with cubs in tow. Keep your distance, be loud, and don't get between them.

Edit: add quote

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ya, be cautious. We’re both saying the same thing then. You’re just in a confrontational mood and I will have no more of it.

[–] Assassassin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 53 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The fact that picking up and hugging the cub would almost certainly get you killed is proof that nature is cruel

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 46 points 2 days ago

For real. Momma even stopped under a tree to feed them. If she couldn't rip me apart I would have gone out there.

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Well, yeah. The mama bear isn't going to let you pick up her baby! You're supposed to pick mama bear up first! Show dominance! THEN you're qualified to hug the baby...

Honestly, if they manage to pick up the 300 pound bear that is clawing at them ... They can do whatever they want.

[–] No1@aussie.zone 22 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That looks like one cuteness, and one danger.

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 20 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It was actually 3 cuteness, and one danger. The others were on the other side of momma

[–] deliriousdreams@fedia.io 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I see them! They're so fuzzy!

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

My wife got a better shot where you can see all 3

[–] Chaser@lemmy.zip 15 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Holy crap, there are bears in your driveway? I don't know if we even have bears here in germany - at least I never saw one - but if I would see one right in front of my house, I would shit my pants O.o

Anyways: Cute! (From the distance)

[–] Gnergy@piefed.europe.pub 3 points 1 day ago

Bears are pretty common in some areas of North America. We don't even have black bears in Europe at all, only brown ones which are more dangerous.

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

These are black bears that are pretty harmless. Most people think of them as oversized raccoons. Just don't sneak up on them or get between a momma bear and her cubs. They will run away if you yell and clap your hands at them.

Most human incidents with them are caused by people trying to protect their pets. Which I can totally see because my 30 lb dog will bark and run right towards them like she can do something to a 300 lb bear. Which is why I keep her on a leash. Especially this time of the year.

[–] Chrobin@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 2 days ago

We used to have brown bears, but they are pretty much extinct nowadays - until one walks over the border and the press is all over it again (may I remind you of Bruno der Problembär?)

[–] JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 days ago

so cute, I can't bear it

[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

She really is. I had to chase her off later in the day after she got into someones trash and ripped apart an entire bag of kitchen trash in the woods right next to me. Guess one of my neighbors bear proof trash can wasn't that bear proof.

[–] Bonesince1997@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Got any of them pic-a-nic baskets?

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No but momma did get into someone's trash and decided to drag it to the woods next to me before ripping it open and spreading it all around. That wasn't fun to clean up.

[–] Dozzi92@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Imagine if she was just setting a trap.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Be extra careful. There is nothing more dangerous than a mother bear with cubs.

[–] Skanky@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I dunno, have you met my wife after I forgot our anniversary?

Da-dum, pshh!

Thanks folks, I'll be here all night!

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Funny that you mention it, because after you forgot your anniversary, your wife and I did meet up!

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Fun enough I had to hold my wife back once when someone threatened her sister. My sweet southern suburban wife, who loves nothing more than to curl up with a nice book, makes me capture bugs and take them outside, would starve herself if it would help others, and I compare to Snow White, went complete and total beast mode.

The guy was a piece of shit and kicked down her door at like 2 am. So we rush over there to help her out. Dipshit shows back up trying to apologize. The second he gets out of his truck, I saw a look on my wife's face that I'd never seen before, and haven't seen again. She grabbed a bat I had with me and went straight at him. I had to wrap both my arms around her and use my entire body weight to stop her. The look on the dude's face as he hightailed it out of there was priceless.

[–] MML@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

But I could die happy petting her cubs...

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

But you would surely die attemting this.

[–] dkppunk@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

What a bunch of cuties! Thank you for sharing :)

[–] skooma_king@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

Taters, precious? No, pretty sure rocks

[–] Pattylay@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Hey boo boo!

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Awe I love them