Previously, the bear species we were most able to remain calm around were Berenstain and Teddy Graham. Well, add this tree-dwelling dude in Penacook to the list.
We had to visit Google to verify that it was true bears can climb trees – it is – but we didn’t think they could grow out of them!
Turns out they can’t. This is the handywork of Clayton George of Webster, who came to the rescue when a Penacook family had a tree branch hanging perilously over the backyard.
George took it down, and then proceeded to go all chainsaw-wielding-sculpture-artist on it, turning the remaining stump into a bear bust so detailed it probably has most of the wildlife in Penacook confused.
George donned some safety goggles, set up some scaffolding and got to work, using only his chainsaw to chisel out a remarkably lifelike creature.
Smokey the Bear has to be laughing at the irony that while only you can prevent forest fires, it’s technically possible for this relative of his to be solely responsible for starting one.
Kidding! He’s perfectly safe up there, keeping watch over the neighborhood and generally being all bear-like. It’s definitely the closest you can safely stand to a bear, assuming you’re either 11 feet tall or have a ladder on your person at any given time.
Just keep your eyes peeled when cruising through Penacook. If you see a bear in a tree, it’s just a carved old branch.
Probably, anyway.
