Does A Bear Just Poop In The Woods?

Does A Bear Just Poop In The Woods?  (ASR) A bear experience, sort of. #1406388 by All Shook Up Nut

    Fishermen are always talking about “the one that got away.” However my experience gives that expression a whole new meaning.

    The Orange County Outdoor Science School located in the California San Bernardino Mountains, would get a whole new crop of excited but apprehensive sixth graders every week.  For some this would be their first time away from home, for others it would be their first time in the mountains. However, for most of these kids, they had been earning their way to Outdoor School since they were first graders.  Over the next four days they would learn, through a series of hikes and fun activities, about the environment, their impact upon it, and their responsibility for it’s future.

    Throughout the week we were advised to remind the kids not to wonder off alone.  This was the mountains after all and there were wildlife that was looking for food after the long, hard winter.  A particular concern was from the local bear population.  They were just coming out of hibernation and had monstrous appetites.  They usually avoided places with humans, but bear tracks had been spotted around the cabins.  I shared with the campers what to do if they spotted a bear, acknowledging that their first instinct would be to run.  Not the best choice when confronted by a large furry beast.  The main thing that a bear might see you as is food, especially if you look small and vulnerable.  So, to run you’d end up looking like food or a chew toy with legs.  What good sport that would be if you’re a bear, however not so much if you’re the chew toy.

    Friday always came too fast for the kids.  Homesickness had turned into real bonding and friendship and they suddenly realized how much they’d miss us.  I helped the campers roll their sleeping bags back up and repack their clothes and gear.  Many had brought their stuff in large black garbage bags which were quickly destroyed the first day in their fervor to unpack.  It just so happened that I knew where there was a stock pile of bags they could use.  The group tagged along behind me as we walked to the supply room.  I grabbed the doorknob and …bam! The door slammed into something on the other side and wouldn’t budge but for a couple of inches. “That’s weird,” I thought, “I’ve never had problems with this door before.”

    I tried to see what was stopping the door from opening.  I pushed my head into the crack, my eyeball darting from place to place. I couldn’t see anything so I reached my arm inside.  As I felt around I realized that the large, heavy metal table had been moved in front of the door.  I was perplexed.  Why would someone move the table there?  Wait a minute.  Someone couldn’t have moved the table in front of the door and then gotten out themselves.  Besides, it wouldn’t make any sense.  I tried with all my might to move the table out of the way, pushing my arm in the gap as far as it would go.

    Suddenly, it hit me.  What would be strong enough to move that table and … “A bear?”

    “Holy crap!” I said, yanking my arm out from the door.

    “What’s the matter?” one of the kids said as I turned to face them, slamming the door tightly behind me.

    “Nothing, nothing’s wrong,” I lied trying to keep the kids and myself calm.  “Let’s just go back to the cabin.  We’ll come back later.”

    The kids continued to pack so I took the opportunity to speak to the principle about “the situation."  She told me to join my campers and that she would get someone to check out the supply room.  On the way back I took a ball of twine to help tie up any bulging sleeping bags or suitcases so they wouldn’t explode everywhere before the kids got their stuff home. We had another cabin leader take }a picture of all of us as a memento of our time together and then headed to the mess hall for some chow.

    We all got our seats and sang the kids’ favorite songs they had learned over the week, as arms and food bowels were coming from everywhere while food was being handed out. Our camp leader took the floor and gave her usual concluding speech.  She thanked the campers and hoped that they had fond memories of their experience at Outdoor School.  But before she gave her final dismissal she added, “By the way, as some of you know we had some trouble with our supply room this morning.  We had a little visitor.  Well, actually we had a big visitor.  Apparently a bear found his way into the room and while rummaging through everything he managed to push the table in front of the door.  He found what he was looking for, and ate the entire huge container of peanut butter that we use to make birdfeeders.  After finishing his scrumptious snack he realized that he was trapped.  It looks like he got spooked because he trashed everything in sight.  The room looked like an airplane crashed into it.  The bear, not knowing how to get out, clawed away at the window sill and pane until he was able to break through and make his escape.  It looks like he cut himself on the way out because he left behind some blood droplets and a few tufts of fur. And, he did leave a rather large deposit on the floor for all you animal enthusiasts.  So, if anyone would like to see what bear scat looks like, you can check out the huge pile on your way to the bus.”

    The kids filed through one by one, looking in amazement at the bear excrement before them.  Of course there was no shortage of “Oh gross!” or “That’s nasty!” comments from the peanut gallery.


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