Bear Climbs Tree, Gets In Hunter’s Face [Video]

In this amazing video, a curious and perhaps hungry black bear climbed a tree and got up close and personal with a hunter.

After ascending the tree like a boss and thoroughly sniffing the man, the animal fortunately backed off and just as suddenly returned to the ground. The hunter succinctly summarized his encounter with the bear — in terms we can all relate to — by whispering “holy sh*t.”

American black bears have even been known to mark trees with their teeth and claws as a way to communicate with other bears.

The American black bear is said to the the world’s most common bear species. It is North America’s smallest and most widely dispersed bear species. They are omnivores, i.e., meat and plant eaters, and they do have a healthy appetite, which sometimes creates scary encounters with humans. “Depending on location and season, they consume herbaceous vegetation, roots, buds, numerous kinds of fleshy fruits, nuts, insects in life stages from egg to adult, and vertebrates from fish to mammals, including their own kills as well as carrion. Moreover, they readily consume various human-related foods, from garbage and birdseed to a variety of agricultural products, including standing corn and oats just before harvest, apples, and honey and brood in apiaries.”

The US black bear population in the 48 contiguous states is estimated to number about 300,000; about 200,000 are presumed to live in Alaska.

In a recent encounter in Russia — a place where an estimated 6,000 black bears call home — a youngish black bear wandered out into the roadway in a relatively rural area and was hit head-on by a vehicle and sent flying. Both motorist and bear appear to have walked away from the accident unhurt, fortunately, which was captured on dash cam video.

Would you be able to stay calm if a bear was in your face?