Bear Sneaks Into Nevada County Woman's Kitchen Searching For Snack
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A Nevada County woman is still in shock after an encounter with a bear in her kitchen.
While there are typically a lot of bear sightings in the area, especially during this time of the year, it's still unusual to have a bear open the door and make itself at home.
"My eyes told me what I was seeing, but my brain said no way," said Kathleen Hickinbotham.
She was on her computer on Monday afternoon when she heard a commotion downstairs. She thought it might have been her husband coming home for lunch.
"As I came down the stairs he was walking back this way and I just stood there and went aggghh," she said.
It wasn't her husband, but a big black bear who had slid a screen door open and went for the kitchen. His paw prints are still on the dining room floor.
"He had pulled out all the drawers too and bottom and there was meat on the porch and wrapper from wild birdseed," she said.
The bear was scared off, but it showed up again later that night. This time Kathleen was armed with a pot and wooden spoon.
"I was just going to town," she said, demonstrating the loud noises that scared the bear.
Neighbors say bear sightings aren't unusual, but it's the first time they've heard of one going inside a house.
Up the street, a bear scaled a 5-foot fence, killing half of a neighbors' chickens.
Department of Fish and Game officials say it's not the drought bringing the bears out, but there are just more bear sightings this time of year.
Hickinbotham is hoping her indoor encounter was her last.
"This is my bear safety," she said, holding her pot and spoon.
Hickinbotham believes the bear came in her house because she's the only one on the block without a dog, so she's planning on getting one soon.