June’s GPS units started sending ‘low battery’ signals, so we headed out to remedy the situation while we still had a clue where she was. It’s so much easier to replace the batteries before they quit entirely.
June in white pineJune came for the hazelnuts we offered and the battery switch was easily accomplished. Then she headed off. We checked a nearby white pine for cubs. None. We were ‘foraging’ on blueberries when we heard the destinctive sound of 'claws on bark' and followed the sound to twin white pines. On the way we came across old remains of a white-tailed buck. The vegetation around the remains was well trampled from animals (possibly June and cubs) chewing on the bones.
June 
Cole and Ember in white pinewas up one of the pines—sitting there looking down at us. She soon came down and left. We caught sight of Ember in the tree June was in, but we searched and searched both pines before finding Cole in the same tree. A large bear scat near the tree contained juneberry seeds, wild sarsaparilla seeds, and blueberry seeds in the scat.
Bear scatAs we were snapping pictures, June came back grunting to her cubs. When it was clear the cubs had no intention of coming down, June headed off to forage alone. We picked our way back to our car—munching blueberries and Juneberries along the way.
Log torn apart for antsWe are preparing for Monday’s hearing on the TRO we filed. For those looking for more details, the TRO is online at Summons and Complaint (Rogers v MN DNR)1.79 MB. Our response to the allegations made in Commissioner Landwehr's cover letter of Dec 21, 2012 is online at June 24, 2013 - Permit Perspectives June 20133.16 MB.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.