Bear can sure show up at strange times. I was putting manure on the gardens a couple weeks ago, and looked up. There was a bear standing there sniffing the air. Must have been the manure that drew it in. Was a little last years cub, but we stood and looked at each other for about 30 seconds and then it wandered off.

I had a couple bear encounters that got my attention. The one bear encounter that really scared me is, I was trout fishing in the forest. And next to the stream was tall grass. I was kneeling there putting bait on the ultra light. When I stood up, there was a bear about 15 feet away from me, looking at me. I let out a whoop!! and it ran one way and I discovered I could jump a creek, running the other way towards my back pack. My fishing partner was down stream laughing himself sick.

The other one was I came home late at night. Opened the electric garage door, drove in the garage, closed the door. And anyone that ever been in the country where there are no street lights knows how dark it can get in the woods. I walked out the back door of the garage towards the house and the motion lights came on and there sat a bear. It was a LARGE bear well over 400 pounds about 15 yards away. He was licking the sun flower seeds out of the bird feeder. So I backed up into the garage, closed the door. I then threw a metal gas can at the side of the garage about where the bear was standing. I could hear the branches breaking as it ran off.

Normally bear will not bother you. Sow with cubs is another problem. Just make sure you do not get between them. If you ever see a cub in a tree, walk the other way also. But it does sound like you had a good day. I like seeing wild things when I walk in the woods. That bear slapping that tree though was a warning to you. Good thing you walked off.