I happened to meet up with this young black bear in an old forest filled with large pines and hemlocks here in NH. Generally most bears will simply run away at top speed (around 30mph) when they become aware of a human's presence. But younger bears, well-trained by their mothers, will often climb a nearby tree instead. If you happen to see a furry little feller peeking out through the branches at you like this, there may be a larger, less-friendly female bear in the vicinity! I encourage everyone to enjoy the woods and mountains without fear - just be observant of your surroundings and everything will generally work out fine :)

Day in the life of a nature photographer: always bring a friend when you’re moose scouting so they can take incredible action shots from another canoe! Thanks Nate! Can’t wait to see the full-resolution pics. Sometimes these adventures in New Hampshire feel like being in a painting. I will never take this way of life for granted.

Primary means of conveyance when I’m scouting for moose.