The Big Arm Bear Incident

On only the second morning in Big Arm, Paul opened the door of Dennis’s cabin to see a bear sitting under a pine tree, apparently gnawing on a pine cone. Dashing back in to grab a camera and alert the others, he then sneaked up on the beast and took several photos from the ill-perceived safety of an open garage.

After several shots, the bear stood up, eye-balled the camera and showed its displeasure by pawing angrily at the ground. Whilst Paul made a tactical withdrawal, the bear proceeded to climb a small pear tree and treat itself to some fruit.

Dennis was having none of it, and lobbed apples at the bemused animal, yelling “Get outa ma tree”.
But the bear remained nonplussed as we all joined in with the attack and peered at us through the braches, presumably wondering why people were bombarding it with food.

It was only when Dennis began banging a metal tray that the bear realised it was no longer welcome, climbed back down the tree and sauntered off down the lane.

So we all came home knowing that for years to come, we could tell the story of “the day I threw apples at a black bear in Montana”.