On May 21, 2025, Daniel Hill, a local resident, captured a striking photo of a black bear on Branscomb Road, a rural and remote stretch outside of Laytonville in northern Mendocino County.
“I was driving home and he was in the middle of the road, so I stopped and he just walked right up to my passenger window,” Hill said.
The image shows the bear just outside Hill’s car, close enough to make eye contact.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the only bear species found in the state. Males are significantly larger than females and can weigh up to 500 pounds. The densest black bear populations in California live in the North Coast and Cascade regions, which together are home to about half of the state’s bears.
Encounters like this are a reminder that Mendocino County is bear country. Residents and visitors are encouraged to stay aware when traveling in rural areas, especially near forested land.
So cute!
Omg I love it! So cute!
Bears will be bears.
It’s only a matter of time until the wacadoo enviros start up a campaign to reintroduce the mighty Grizzlies back into Northern California.
Just because you don’t understand the why doesn’t mean something is “wacadoo”. Also, what is it with people like you who just have to bring politics into anything, including a story about someone seeing a bear on a rural road? Try going out into the real world more often, it’s not as scary as the Limbaugh’s of the world want you to think it is.
Yeah well at 74 years of age with the wisdom of a man older and the stealth and health of people half my age I understand plenty.
As far as getting out into the real world goes tomorrow will find me out searching for Clovis and Paleo period artifacts in the middle of nowhere and at this point in my life that’s as close to the real world that I prefer to be.
But whomever you are thanks for your concern and yes I shall try harder just for you.
Terry my man, truly righteous.
On the bright side, Rush Limbaugh is still mortally indisposed.
That is just way too cool Dan, how far on Bscom Rd were you from town? Way, way too cool! Thanks for sharing…
That bear has an injury to his left back paw. Don’t look right, he looks stressed.
He does have a hurt paw. Maybe he walked up to the car because he’s asking for help. Don’t let Dead Dog know he will shoot him!!!
I hope someone can tranquilize him and get that paw fixed? Has anyone sent it to fish and wildlife and see if they can help? Poor guy! He’s probably the same one that was seen as a skinny scared cub?
That is a sick looking bear.
I see bear on branscomb rd all the time. Mendocino has 3000 to 4000 bears California has 60000 to 80000 bears .look like 2 to 3 year old boar been injured or bit below .ear, big boar bear will kill and eat small bear .is it begging for human food. A fed bear is a dead bear
This Bear has been like this for a year or two now…people feed it and get too close…beware he is not to be trusted and wild..he needs a new home away from people
I have a Laytonville friend who had the same experience, maybe the same bear?