It is unusual for black bear males to charge a human, unless there is something wrong with animal, like near starvation or wounded, because humans are not their normal food source. It is true that their eye sight is not the greatest, but their sense of smell and hearing are very acute. If the wind was "working for you" then they should not have winded you and if they did they certianly would have gone the opposite direction unless cornered, rather than charge you. Seems odd that they charged you. You must have startled them.

I have had bear very close to me on several occassions, yet I have never had one charge me. I had one bear at 7 paces of my ground blind, yet it did not charge me. Instead we stared at each other for a moment, then the bear went back into the canal it came out of at full speed, then I headed for the truck at full speed. Another was standing at the base of my ladder stand looking up at me and then just wander off into the corn field to eat. If I had a camera and taken a picture, my knees, my feet, and the bear would have been in the picture. Another time I went into a cut at dark to help a buddy drag out a deer that he shot before dusk. He had tripped over a limb or root and lost his glasses. He was very concered on the radio, because he was blind, with a deer to get out, and there was a big sow with 2 cubs in the area when he shot the deer. On my way in to him, I came across the sow and 2 cubs at 30 yards. They winded me and after a few tense moments took off for the wood line and did not charge. I have been concered enough to thumb the hammer back on the muzzleloader or take the safety off, but I have never been concered enough to shoot one in these situations.

I have taken 3 bear here in eastern NC, a 228, a 377, and a 423 pounders, all three were males. The biggest one was aged at 3.5 to 4 years of age, the samllest at 2.5-3 years. It is not unsual for young immature males to run together in 2's or 3's.

Congrats on your success, and thank goodness you weren't hurt. But, I too, would like to know why you were charged.