Bearly Legal

There is an area that we rockclimb in called ‘skull rocks’ so named for the two bear skulls that we found a couple of years ago. We had set up these skulls as the welcoming decoration into one of the climbing areas and felt that they somehow protected our area from intruders – not that they actually did…it was just the myth we attached to them. You might be able to imagine our disappointment and growing sense of fear when we found one of them missing and the other one smashed this summer; our icons were gone - the climbing area no longer safe.

Last night, after two weeks of not climbing at ‘skull rocks’, Candace, Andrew, and I stumbled across the decaying bodies of two dead bears. It was really quite sad to see these magnificent animals lying there butchered and killed for the sport or greed of some poacher. The first bear that we found had been dumped there with in the last day or so and was only missing “his boys”; some birds had also gotten into his intestines and dragged them out for lunch. This bear, other then the stench and open belly, was still really cute. The second bear, we found only about 30 feet away from the first one, would have been dumped sometime in the last 2 weeks while we were away and was much further along in the “from dust to dust” process. It was mostly bone with bits of skin and flesh still exposed and black hair laying around the perimeter of what I imagine would have been the mass of its body. One of the hind legs of this bear still had skin and flesh up to what I suppose would have been the knee – hairless, wrinkled, and black it reminded me of the burnt and charred remains of life that you see in the movies. An image I won’t soon forget. This bear was missing all of its claws and its skull had been crushed into small fragments – only the jaw bone still identifiable.

I hadn’t come across a bear since earlier this summer when we both rounded a corner to face each other within fifteen feet. The bear and I were both alone and, I like to imagine, that it was as freaked out as much as I was. We starred at each other for a couple of minutes and, the longer I looked at it, the more comfortable I became. The heart racing fear that is natural in those situations turned to heart racing response to the beauty and power of creation; it was amazing. Moments later the bear ambled off into the forest and I continued on my route thanking God for His beautiful world that He has commanded that we care and tend for.

Fish and Game authorities are investigating this morning.