20 Jun Jenna: Boo Boo Bear

Hooker, Okla. – Ok, so this post isn’t directly related to harvest but kind of illustrates the crazy things that we sometimes encounter when we’re on the road.

Today, Taylor, Callie and I went to Liberal, Kan., which is 20 miles northeast of Hooker, to pick up a few things from Wal-Mart. While we were there, our older sister, Jamie (who’s in Nebraska), called and asked what we were doing.

“Hanging out in Liberal,” I replied.

Jamie laughed and said, “Perfect. Listen to this article I just read on WOWT.com (the website for one of the news stations out of Omaha).” And then she read the following article to me…

Boo Boo Bear is Back
Source: www.wowt.com

Southwest Kansas isn’t bear country, but there’s one black bear that’s been showing up in the area around Liberal, Kansas for several years.

Startled residents begin spotting the bear each spring. State Game Warden B.J. Thurman says that’s because the bear is highly visible as it roams through wheat fields, feasting on the crop.

Thurman, who calls the bear “Boo-Boo,” told the local newspaper that the animal has been in the area for six or seven years. He believes it roamed out of nearby New Mexico during an outbreak of wildfires and either lives in southwest Kansas year-round or visits the area in the spring.

The bear was spotted several times recently in Stevens County. It’s been known to travel through several counties in the region.

(View the original article at: http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/96723804.html)

Pretty funny! All I can think about is seeing Boo Boo out in one of our wheat fields, having his dinner.

This story also reminded me of being in eastern Colorado a couple of summers back and hearing about a lion roaming the countryside. Yes, really – a lion.

Jenna Zeorian can be reached at jenna@allaboardharvest.com. All Aboard 2010 Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and DuPont Crop Protection.