The first chapter of The Mill on Halfway Brook, mentions the abundance of wildlife in what was once the Town of Lumberland.
Starting in 2008, Cousin Cynthia took photos of the current animals in the area—many deer, turkeys, and eagles. She promised me that one day she would get me a shot of a bear. And recently, when she visited Eldred, she did see a bear as she and friends were looking at Echo Hill and Mountain Grove.
I have seen many bear in the Town of Highland—one instance was around 1995. I saw a mama bear and her 3 cubs running across Route 55 by the Eldred Preserve. Another time (many years ago..probably in the late 70’s) I saw a lone bear run across the road going down the Gugle Game Farm hill (as we all call it). But, in the past few years, my mother, Vera Bell, has actually had black bears in her yard and surpringly, even on her deck!