2023 Archive – Great Amazing Bear Contest
Got a cool story? The 2024 contest will be announced in the fall as the bears settle down for winter.
2023 Contest Final Results
Once again the MRV Bear Initiative sends a big thank you to all of the artists, poets, writers, and videographers that shared their favorite bear stories from this past year, 2023. We enjoy reading through the entries and appreciate the thought and time put into each contribution.
Now for the best part of all, sharing them with our community! These stories help capture the realities of living in bear country; embracing and accommodating a harmonious coexistence. Let’s face it, MRV has the best bears in the state!
Entries from Duxbury, Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield, and Warren were further eligible to enter to win one of two bear resistant trash toters. And the kids contest offers 3 prizes. The MRV Bear Committee selected and congratulates this years winners! We hope they serve you well in bringing increased bear harmony in your neighborhood!
Janet – Duxbury (Toter)
Dottie – Fayston (Kids Prize)
Sadie – Moretown (Kids Prize)
And now for this year’s entries:
- Sadie, Moretown – The Secret Life of Bears
- Steve, East Montpelier – Bear in the Apple Tree
- Janet, Duxbury – Close to a Black Bear
- Dottie, Fayston – Mama Bear & Two Cubs
1. Sadie, Moretown – The Secret Life of Bears
The Secret Life of Bears
By Sadie, age 8Once on Old Route 100 my mom, my friend, and I were taking a walk. My friend spotted a big black dog swimming across the Mad River! We walked a little bit farther and saw something we did not expect to see—it was not a dog, but a big black bear!
We froze. It froze. It seemed to be going somewhere or it was scared of us but we were not scared of it. It did exactly what any other bear would do. It ran away and across the road.
Then we went and watched the horses. We walked back home and told my dad what happened. He was surprised that the bear came so close to us.
The end.
2. Steve, East Montpelier – Bear in the Apple Tree
A ways from the Mad River Valley area coming from East Montpelier but sending for your viewing pleasure!
3. Janet, Duxbury – Close to a Black Bear
The first time I was close to a bear in Vermont was in the mid 1970s. My pony smelled it and was terrified. We never saw it, but found bear tracks the next day. When I was a young adult, I was able to see my first black bear when I was cutting trails at Mad River Glen. It loped away at some distance , but was easily recognizable.
When my family moved to Duxbury, my children and I watched a bear from our upstairs window as it walked by our mailbox, sniffed the air and moved into the woods nonchalantly. Since then, I have seen more and more bears, and they have become seemingly emboldened.
Just last summer, a young black bear greeted me as I rounded the corner of my house, with my dog by my side. Rather than turn and run, the creature cocked its head, and called to my dog, a rather large black beast as well. I hurried to the car, and drove away, taking my morning walk farther away than I had planned.
4. Dottie, Fayston – Mama Bear & Two Cubs
We saw a mama bear and her two baby bears crossing the road.
[archived contest details]
It’s time for the Mad River Valley 2023 Great Amazing Bear Story Contest!
With near record bear counts this year it’s no wonder there are so many bear sightings in the Mad River Valley. The VT Fish & Wildlife Department estimates 7,000-8,500 bears statewide, a 5 year high with an estimated 2,000 more animals than just a few years ago. As bears seek and compete for new territories to call their own, we find more bears popping up all over our community. It’s the perfect opportunity to embrace living in bear country by sharing collective stories, wildlife appreciations, and tips & tricks for our peaceful coexistence!
The MRV Bear Initiative wants to hear your best bear stories from 2023 . Share with others and become eligible to win some cool prizes!
Details:
Craft your story and submit it to the MRV Bear Initiative before Sunday, March 10th, 2024*. Your story only needs to be long enough to capture our attention. Submit any or multiple formats of recorded media – an essay, pictures, drawings, a link to a video, a poem, a diorama, etc. Choose the format that best fits your story. Selected stories will be shared with the community as educational and inspirational opportunities for all of us to enjoy. Check out our 2022 contest entries for inspiration.
Are you a resident of the Valley? Would you like to win a bear resistant trash can? Tell us in a sentence or two what you would do with a bear toter and how it would foster bear harmony in your neighborhood. Two lucky winners will be randomly drawn from a list of eligible entries to receive either a 64 gallon or a 96 gallon animal proof/resistant receptacle by Toter®.* Our hope is to increasingly bear-proof our community in order to collectively improve how we coexist with our calorie seeking black bear friends.
And introducing our new children’s contest this year!
Children 14 & under can enter to win one of three bear themed prizes including (i.) plush toy wearable backpack (ii.) Warmies Huggable Black Bear, or a (iii.) 4-foot black bear huggable body pillow. Three lucky winners will be randomly drawn from a list of eligible entries.
Eligibility Criteria:
Our hope is to pull the most local of stories so we can learn from each other about living in bear country in the Mad River Valley. But like our black bear friends, great stories are not held to tight boundaries so don’t be shy to share a great story from Vermont or beyond.
Stories should be based on true sightings and/or interactions with black bears and from the 2023 calendar year.
Eligibility to win requires:
Adding a brief description of what you would do if you were to win a toter.
If you are entering the kids contest you must be 14 & under and include your parent / legal guardian contact information in your entry.
Providing proof that you’re a resident/homeowner of the Mad River Valley including Duxbury, Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield, and Warren. These towns directly represent the MRV Bear Initiative and the committee has built this opportunity specifically for you.
Stories must be submitted before Sunday, March 10th, 2024*
Please keep your content to under 2 pages and/or less than 3 minutes. The judges are volunteers and have to get back to their day jobs eventually.
Top entries will be selected by MRV Bear Initiative members and shared back to the community through various media channels including, but not limited to, the Valley Reporter, the Waterbury Roundabout, MRVTV, FPF, partner communications, and the multiple educational events we host throughout the year.
* The submission deadline is Sunday, March 10th, 2024 which represents an extension from the original deadline of Wednesday, January 31st. Enjoy the extra time to share your stories!!!