This spring The Edmonton Journal reported that a grocery store in Peace River, Alberta had opened its doors to black bears. Or more accurately, a black bear wandered in through an automatic door and helped itself to a dozen cakes in the bakery section. According to the store night manager, it was particularly fond of strawberry mouse—which makes sense.
This was the first time bears have enjoyed the convenience of 24-hour shopping, a similar story was reported in Parry Sound, Ontario a few years ago. The grocery store in parry Sound is in a new suburban development, which is consistent with biologists’ contention that an increase in bear encounters is a result of development encroaching on bear habitat.
As family campers pitching our tents in parks, we are no doubt moving in on bear territory, and sometimes our paths cross.
Spend enough time around campfires and you’ll hear hundreds of different types of bear encounters: from roadside spottings to very dangerous, even fatal encounters. Spend enough time in the bush and you’ll likely have you own stories to share.
Tom Morrow, a 49-year old father of two boys, is the laser of the First Dundas Scouts and is no stranger to bears, although one of his bear stories is stranger than most …
Read about this strange encounter in the digital edition of Canoeroots and Family Camping, Fall 2006, on our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it on your desktop here.
