One Awesome Bear....

I thought perhaps I was finished writing about bears, but it seems that the longer I am away from them, the more I think about them and reflect upon my experiences with them. They have so much to teach and I have so much to learn.

I honestly wish I could drive over for a few days and work on photographing them all... updating records and generating new entries. I could easily see that as being my work and spending countless hours doing it well.

There was one particular bear, a large impressive male named Schwynn that seems to capture the hearts of all who view him. He is handsome and respected. When he walks out into the field all the other males seem to part way for him and never challenge his presence.

Schwynn is a three-legged bear. He lost his front left paw when he was three... probably to a trap, but no one really knows for sure. He is now 13.



Some believe that the other males pay him no attention because with only three legs, they do not view him as a threat.



I tend to think that the ladies look at him and think, "Dang, with all that he's got going against him... he still commands the respect of all the other males and survives... he must have some pretty awesome genes!!! And he's cute too!"




Personally, to me he is an inspiration. He is a survivor. He overcomes adversity. I would hope that I would have the strength to chew off my own leg, if caught in a trap, in order to survive. He also had to tend to his own wound without the aid of doctors or antibiotics and scour for food to regain and maintain his strength... while not becoming prey to the ever present wolves and coyotes. And he is gentle, calm and seemingly very appreciative of all the "extra" treats put out for him. He has both strength and character.

I look at and/or think about him and wonder, "How could I possibly ever complain about anything?"

Yep, I definitely think Schwynn is getting a lot more action than the other big boys think.