Jon,

I remember when we were up there for CC4 that you and Betty mentioned that bears had been sited wandering around your area. It's nice that they're usually timid and run from humans, but they do get used to humans when foraging around where we live ... and when hungry, sick, or hurt, or if they have little ones, they're scarey, period. Be careful in your walks, both of you, as I know you are anyways.

I know that through Banff and Jasper areas (British Columbia and Alberta border areas) people like to try and feed the bears ...

Animal and human nature is to go where sustenance is when food is scarce hey ... like where the food can be found ... with bears and opther critters, thats usually garbage or the delicious smells of grease and things on BBQ's ... or pet food outdoors, or garbage and picknick food.

In Nelson, every year bears come into town in search of food (scarce in the mountains these days) ... they're attracted by garbage, and by all the fruit ... every year people there are asked to pick all the fruit from their tress on their properties ... including the no good stuff, and everything that drops to the ground ... most people try ... but every year, bears are shot dead (not able to tranquilize and remove to other areas)

MANITOBA ... is loaded with fruit and wild berries for the black bear ... all kinds. We even have wild hazel nuts ... I remember as a kid being delighted to pick them