After a long winter spent hanging out in a den, you’d expect the state’s black bears to emerge in the spring with a healthy appetite. You’d also expect them to emerge without a bulging belly, since they haven’t eaten in four or five months.
Today’s trail cam shots seem to prove half of that equation true, and half of it false. This bear is certainly hungry. But it’s also looking pretty beefy for an animal that’s been on a four-month diet.
My friend Billy Lander, who lives down on Green Lake in Dedham, sent these photos of a bear that has been very active in his neighborhood.
“He was on [my lawn],” Lander said. “Tore down two neighbors’ bird feeders and got into [another neighbor’s] bird seed and ate about 5 pounds. That’s a HUGE bear for that time of year. I would like to see him in the fall.”
My personal favorite in the series is the shot of the bear facing directly at the camera, sitting back on its haunches like a dog. But no matter what angle the photo shows, that bear certainly appears to be a healthy specimen.
Here’s hoping all of Lander’s neighbors take in their bird feeders so the bear doesn’t have more reasons to keep stopping by.
Do you have a trail camera photo or video to share? Send it to jholyoke@bangordailynews.com and tell us “I consent to the BDN using my photo.” In order to prevent neighbors from stopping by to try to tag particularly large bucks, moose or bears, some identities and towns of origin may be omitted.