Bear Memories

Old and new (video at the very end)

Yesterday, I was trying to draw a quick series of panels about a childhood incident that took place when I was about 10. I was out riding my horse in the mountains on my own (it was a different time) when I came across a black bear and her cubs.

I can’t remember now if there were two or three cubs but what I do remember is that the cubs scampered up a tree on one side of the wooded trail and the mother bear was on the other side of the trail. That put me and my horse between a sow and her cubs - never a good place to find oneself.

As I was trying to fill in a few details (how could I have forgotten so much of this terrifying experience??) I realized I had more questions than answers.

I never told my parents what happened (they might have revoked my solo riding privileges) but ever since I’ve kept a wary eye out for bears when out and about in my neighborhood (which happens to be adjacent to some pretty spectacular wild country).

Anyway, I scribbled these rough drawings last night and was struck by how my bears looked like little pigs. I was going to do some research when I had a chance but as fate would have it we encountered THREE bears on our bike ride up to the Highwood Pass today - a black bear and two grizzlies.

***Note that I am zoomed in - we were not as close as the image makes it seem. ***

The photo I snapped of the black bear:

was just the research I needed to do this sketch:

… which at least resembles a bear.

So now I have some new orsine memories (and reference photos) to go along with the old ones. When I redraw those panels from back in the day, nobody will be confused and think that I ran into three little pigs and their mama :)