By Peter B. Mathiesen

Three years ago, outdoor writer, photographer, and consummate sportsman Peter Mathiesen left his hometown of St. Louis to start a new life in Alaska. Here’s why he made the move, what everyday life is like, and how it feels to have Denali right outside your window.

There is no telling how many bears walk within a mile of my home. I readily find both black and grizzly sign nearby. Grizzlies seem to want to shy away from the house, although blacks are far more curious.

Two summers ago, at around 9 p.m., I heard a single round discharged from what sounded like a large-caliber gun. My retriever barked once, looked up at me to see if we were going somewhere, and went back to sleep. That sounded close, I thought. Fifteen minutes later, a neighbor knocked on my door. He introduced himself and said, “I understand you’re a hunter. I don’t know what to do with this bear I just shot. Can you lend a hand?”

My neighbor, a hobbyist beekeeper, told me had heard a disturbance on the side of his house. He went out to investigate and found a robust sow dismantling his wood hives. The gentleman calmly went back into the house, returned with his .30-06, and dialed the State Troopers.

With the bear at just 15 feet, he detailed the hive carnage. The trooper suggested he immediately move farther away from the sow and explained his two options: he could shoot the bear based on destruction of property, or, if he had a tag, he could just take the bear. The 75-year old, who might weigh 155 pounds, set the phone down, took a rest on the corner of the building, and shot the 300-pound bear behind the ear, folding her like a lawn chair. Her head landed on the hive panel she was eating, with her face and paws engulfed in honeybees.

If you don’t want bears in your yard, make sure garbage is never left outside, bird feeders are taken down for the summer, and keep animal feed behind electric fences. You do hear about black bears strutting on decks and licking BBQ grills, and occasionally pushing on the door of a house or garage. They love to chew on foam, and no ATV or snow machine seat is safe.

If you’re unlucky enough to have a grizzly break into your remote cabin, you will find your kitchen completely destroyed, with every box of food bitten and torn. The bear always leaves behind plenty of urine, will most likely rip your couch to pieces, and then defecate on it. The lesson here: construct doors stoutly, never leave doors open in the evenings, and place beehives behind a hot wire.

Comments (10)

from davycrockettfv wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Your takeaway lessons are interesting. What I got out of this article is: DON'T LIVE WITH BEARS!

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from RJ Arena wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

You expect things like this in Alaska, it is in places like New Jersey that it becomes unbelievable, but true.

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from SMC1986 wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Mmmmmm honey glazed bear...................

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from labrador12 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I was looking at a house outside Haines that had interesting claw marks on the back door. That brownie walked up on the deck to get to the door. The house was on the Chillkoot River just as it enters the ocean.

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from Corey Slider wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Our constant love; man and nature

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from OldPhart wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Wow - sounds like the aftermath of a visit from my inlaws!

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from fliphuntr14 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

black bears are daring for food outside. my grandpa put bird feeders about ten feet up the bear had to have jumped to get them. He/she got them. he brings all but one bird feeder in at night in the spring (before fawn drop). We got him a pretty robust feeder for his birthday last year. its a scuba tank with an old saw blade welded to the bottom all painted of course. I've run into more than few in the woods. I was bluff charged on a three wheeler once that scared me alittle also tree'd two cubs and a sow by accident fishing by a lake, the noise she made ill never forget. Needless to say I swam out of that spot and got to a trial making noise the whole time. Usually with those just clapping your hands and making noise will run them off. The one i was bluff charged by was standing over a dead deer that was wounded by a car and died back in the woods where i was riding. Intresting law there probably good it doesn't apply to that extent here people vilanize them here in wisconsin to much.

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from Safado wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Plenty of urine,couch ripped to pieces, and defecation. Typical Saturday night at my place.

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from badsmerf wrote 4 weeks 4 days ago

lab, I've been on the Chillkoot river and Chillkoot Lake. Great fishing.

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from Pathfinder1 wrote 4 weeks 2 days ago

Hi...

Based upon the saga written above, perhaps something could be learned from that experience.

Like using an electric 'bear' fence to try to protect the hives, garden, etc. from bears.

Also, the use of bear spray may have deterred the bear and chased it off. Bear spray DOES work (make sure it is EPA registered).

And, of course, if the owner had a need for the meat, etc., a legal kill would also be warranted.

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from davycrockettfv wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Your takeaway lessons are interesting. What I got out of this article is: DON'T LIVE WITH BEARS!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from SMC1986 wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

Mmmmmm honey glazed bear...................

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from RJ Arena wrote 5 weeks 2 days ago

You expect things like this in Alaska, it is in places like New Jersey that it becomes unbelievable, but true.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from labrador12 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

I was looking at a house outside Haines that had interesting claw marks on the back door. That brownie walked up on the deck to get to the door. The house was on the Chillkoot River just as it enters the ocean.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from OldPhart wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Wow - sounds like the aftermath of a visit from my inlaws!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Corey Slider wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Our constant love; man and nature

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fliphuntr14 wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

black bears are daring for food outside. my grandpa put bird feeders about ten feet up the bear had to have jumped to get them. He/she got them. he brings all but one bird feeder in at night in the spring (before fawn drop). We got him a pretty robust feeder for his birthday last year. its a scuba tank with an old saw blade welded to the bottom all painted of course. I've run into more than few in the woods. I was bluff charged on a three wheeler once that scared me alittle also tree'd two cubs and a sow by accident fishing by a lake, the noise she made ill never forget. Needless to say I swam out of that spot and got to a trial making noise the whole time. Usually with those just clapping your hands and making noise will run them off. The one i was bluff charged by was standing over a dead deer that was wounded by a car and died back in the woods where i was riding. Intresting law there probably good it doesn't apply to that extent here people vilanize them here in wisconsin to much.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Safado wrote 5 weeks 1 day ago

Plenty of urine,couch ripped to pieces, and defecation. Typical Saturday night at my place.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from badsmerf wrote 4 weeks 4 days ago

lab, I've been on the Chillkoot river and Chillkoot Lake. Great fishing.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Pathfinder1 wrote 4 weeks 2 days ago

Hi...

Based upon the saga written above, perhaps something could be learned from that experience.

Like using an electric 'bear' fence to try to protect the hives, garden, etc. from bears.

Also, the use of bear spray may have deterred the bear and chased it off. Bear spray DOES work (make sure it is EPA registered).

And, of course, if the owner had a need for the meat, etc., a legal kill would also be warranted.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.