solotripper wrote on Feb 11^th, 2017 at 8:35pm:


Algonquin seems to have more nuisance bears than anywhere I trip, I think they've lost their fear of humans.

Years back I brought my then girlfriend deep into the interior of Pukaskwa Park. It's a full long day of paddling and bush bashing to get to this sweet little brook trout lake I used to fish. We had cleaned and eaten a couple of trout and I laid the carcasses on a rock for the gulls to get. We were lying on the sand to the right of the rock and my boat was pulled up to our left blocking our view in that direction. Things were starting to get "interesting" when she sat up and said that she heard something. All I could hear was wind and waves. "No you didn't" says I and tried to pull her back down. At that point she stood up and said "there's a bear standing right there!!" "No there isn't" I said kind of laughing at her.
At that point she kicked me hard in the ribs and said "YES there is a bear!!"
Okay. I stand up and sure enough there's a small male black bear standing frozen about 30 feet away. Cool! I begin to edge to my left to find my camera over near the fire pit. "What are you doing?!" she says. I explained my intentions whereupon she immediately began rummaging frantically in her jacket pocket for the bear spray she had brought. Just as I was about to snap a picture she sprayed it directly (by accident) right into my face LOL! I dropped in agony writhing on the ground and through my blurred vision saw the bear jump 3 feet in the air when she finally grabbed a paddle and banged down on the side of the canoe.
I flushed my eyes out in the lake then we had to pack up and leave. After busting our humps to get all the way back in there she refused to stay.

Wimmen 

solopaddler wrote on Feb 11^th, 2017 at 6:24pm:


That's hilarious. I can't stop laughing. My (now 17) son and I have spent years quoting Homer (all of them, but Homer especially) back and forth to each other.

- kypaddler

Wow Solopaddler,
I am glad I do not have stories like that to tell
I have not had a persistent bear in camp since around 1978, and definitely will not be camping around Polar Bears...ever.  About 4-5 years ago I finally purchased a can of bear spray but so far it is still in its original, unopened package.  I often wonder why I am dragging it around on every trip.
Welcome to QJ,
IC

Hi