Bear Visit on Snoqualmie Ridge
Half of my family got an up close look at a 200 – 300 pound (estimated) black bear early Thursday morning, August 28, 2014. At 4AM there was thud. When the
curtains to the back patio door were opened, part of my family was staring at a bear peering into the house six feet away, with a thick glass door separating family and wildlife.
My daughter said it was amazing to see a bear this close – and he seemed to be a nice bear, too. He wandered around the completely fenced back yard, maybe admiring the landscape? He was polite – even using the gravel path (staying off the grass) to tour the yard, going to the far back corner and exiting over the six foot chain link fence into the woods. He didn’t touch the garbage. We don’t have bird feeders. It seems he was just dropping by for a quick visit.
Bears have been spotted several times this spring and summer in the Deer Park neighborhood of Snoqualmie Ridge. The neighborhood is bordered by many areas of thick woods.
Cougar Sighting in North Bend, in Opstad Elementary Vicinity
Meanwhile in North Bend, near Opstad Elementary (SE 140th near 432nd), a cougar was spotted in just as close proximity – strolling across the back deck of 
Amy Doucette-Allen’s home on Sunday night, August 24, 2014. The neighborhood is a mixture of clusters of homes and open space areas.
Amy said they’ve seen a cougar (thinks probably the same one) wandering near their home several times this summer. She said they’ve lived in North Bend for eight years and during that time have seen bobcats, coyotes, elk, deer and even bears – but this was the first time for a cougar sighting. Amy said seeing the cougar wander across the deck did alarm her a bit so they’re being careful not to leave the back sliding door open now.
Amy said here family enjoys the variety of wildlife they see living in North Bend and understands that the wildlife was here first so they feel its their job to keep their pets and kids out of the wildlife’s way – making sure to supervise the kids in the yard.
Opstad Elementary was informed by Amy about seeing the cougar in the vicinity of the school.
To learn more about Living with Wildlife visit the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife information page.
