It's Bill, 3/9/25: Innkeeper VS Wildlife - Chapter 1: Black Bear

Mar 102 min read

Winter Wildlife Spotted at West Quoddy Station

We were thinking of what to write about. With no thoughts, we looked out the window. There it was. Animal tracks in the snow, animal track charts on the table. West Quoddy Station wildlife. We have all sorts. Weasels, red squirrels, raccoons, porcupines, skunks, wild turkey, deer, moose, bears. And some stories to chart.

A chart of Maine wildlife prints — Wildlife track charts

The Cabin Couple and the Bear

By 2005, West Quoddy Station had 6 lodgings in 3 buildings: The Cabin, The Station House, and The Lodge with 4 lodgings—2 down, 2 up. In April, I showed a couple their lodging, The Cabin—cozy, romantic. The wife had rented The Cabin for a “surprise” two-night getaway; however, the husband was a bit off balance. He wanted to stay in Washington, 2nd floor Lodge, king bed, better ocean views. I listened to their discussion for over 15 minutes. The wife was quietly unmovable. They stayed in The Cabin.

A bit disgruntled, they left for an early dinner. There was not much talking during dinner or upon returning to The Cabin. A quiet truce had set in. So, they went to bed on the early side, still not talking or sleeping.

Then they heard a loud crashing, scratching noise just outside by the rear of The Cabin. “What’s that?” yelled the husband.The wife pulled her covers further over her head. He yelled again, “Don’t you hear it?”The wife growled, “If you’re so damn interested, you go look!” “But I don’t have any clothes on.” “Just go!”

Out the door he went, in his shorts, to the rear of The Cabin. Fresh out of hibernation, a bear was ripping off the Cabin shingles to get at the wild bee honey.

Aftermath of the Bear Encounter

The Cabin couple left just at dawn in the morning. One night and done. The wife emailed me the same day along with a photo of a bear running across the field next to us. She later called me. They still weren’t talking. But she thought it was funny.