Bear Clawed Aspen

This one caught me by surprise. Anyone ever seen something like this? My theory is a female bear may have climbed to tree a cub. I couldn't think of any other reason why it would want to go up this tree.

Guy

I've seen this a couple times, but only on bigger aspen trees. Imagine how much that tree shook as 200 lb. momma bear was scaling the trunk. My guess is that its an escape behavior? Maybe someone (with dogs) coming down the trail so the bear jumps into a tree? Or maybe young bear jumps up a small tree when mean daddy bear comes 'round.

I like the way the image tells a story, even if we don't know exactly what the story is. This and the other new images you recently posted on your website are outstanding and inspiring (as usual).

This does indeed tell a story, but it's a mystery novel to me!
The light is exceptional here. Your Autumn 2010 work is truly superb.

Extremely Interesting!!!

Cool shot! Not sure how high up these marks go, but it might have just been a bear marking its territory, not climbing.

I agree with Grant. How high were the marks from the ground?

Thanks for the kind words!
I remember the marks being well above my head (I'm 5'8) but don't recall how high they went. I'll head out there again in the next couple of weeks to take a closer look. It's just a few miles from my house.

Guy

Don't bears do this behavior to sharpen their claws? That would be my guess. Cool shot, whatever way the story ends.

Very cool Guy, how about step it up one notch, bear in action scratching??

Excellent shot. That's just a little scary to me, especially with the needle like beginning of that one set of marks. Disembowelment immediately comes to mind. I am grateful that their attention is rarely directed toward us.

Very nice! Really like the color and the bear marks on the tree. Makes for a very unique image.

Guy, thanks for sharing the shot. Its excellent. I have seen aspen trees with sections of the bark torn off and have wondered if bears caused the damage.

Bill Brennan

That's a very neat shot! Definately gets curiosity factor going.

A couple of years ago I ran across sets of claw scar marks on an aspen that went way above my head. It was so interesting that I looked the tree over for some time. Eventually I spotted an old bee hive about the size of a football hanging from one of the higher branches. Which in my case sort of solved the mystery. I thought it was very neat.

Way cool. Nice shot Guy.

Beautiful work Guy, very unique.

The marks make the whole image. I really like this one, Guy.

That's very, very cool!

Very cool, I remember reading a story about a black bear that would go around Yellowstone and climb up higher to mark above the Grizzlies to claim it's territory as though it was a bigger bear.