A recent special about the grizz explosion at yellowstone had some
interesting pictures.  One was of a smaller grizz on top of a conversion van
sniffing and clawing at a vent on the roof.  It was believed he had climbed
up on one car then moved to the top of a truck and then to the top of the
van. They hadn't actually witnessed his trip but there was evidence on top
of the small car that he had definitely been on top of it. (dented with claw
scratches)

I grew up in northern minnesota and spent a lot of time in the tall timber
and border waters areas.  Black bears can be extremely wiley and ingenious
planners.  They have very good memory retention of what tricks worked in the
past and what techniques to try.  The more experienced the bear the more
likely it will get the food.  The real bears can make yogi bear look like a
real amateur.  However the vast majority of bears in the wild (not parks)
are usually rather shy and will be around but you will probably not know it
until you return from a hike and find you have been raided.
jimt

On 7/26/05 11:11 AM, "Michael Elliott" <j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>
> So I'd like to hear your black bear vs Westy tales. Not brown bears or
> their larger cousins, grizzlies. Those are different critters,
> temperamentally.
>
> --
>
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> Carlsbad, CA
> KG6RCR