Oh, my bear!

Well, I have bears---one in particular, who seems to think I have the best garbage on this route, but he is "smarter than the average bear". Over time, I've discovered the only way to keep from having to trek up the mountain to gather up my garbage---again---is to keep it in a metal barrel with a lid and a ring that tightens with a bolt to hold the lid in place.  In addition, I lashed the barrel to my fence with electric fence wire.  I've taken all the standard precautions like never feeding my animals outside, bringing my bird feeders in at night, etc.  (Two years ago, I had to kill a bear that would not take the hint, and was becoming waaaaaay to friendly!) 

Anyway, Tuesday night I took out all the garbage and stuffed it into the already full barrel, all but one bag that just would not go, making sure the lid was secure. I also had some other things that I'd picked up outside, an old heater, an old dog bed, and a recently replaced full-size mattress. 

I took my dogs out at 2 a.m. and went to bed.  At 3:30 a.m. I was up again and went outside.  Instead of a deep breath of fresh night air, I had a gasp of surprise.  Mattress half-across the driveway, heater flung out into the driveway, barrel ripped from the fence and lying in the driveway....looked almost as if he were about to furnish his winter home! Mattress to sleep on. dog bed for a pillow, a heater to keep it cozy....Oh, and he wants to be well-groomed when hibernation season is over. The one bag that didn't fit into the barrel?  He did manage to make off with it and I can only assume it was the hair drying it contained which caught his eye!

Since I don't sleep much, I have my camera handy and will try to get a pic of this smarter than average bear!