ORWIGSBURG - Bob Scholeck said he feels like he got to know a 150-pound black bear - as possible as that is.
The 2- or 3-year-old black bear made his presence known at Scholeck's property on Little Mountain Road several times over the past couple of weeks.
"I nicknamed him Slick," Scholeck, 67, said.
On May 16, he woke up and the bear was outside his bedroom window. There was a bird feeder with black sunflower seeds and a storage bin for the seeds, which the bear found. After the bear left, Scholeck put the seeds and container into his garage. But that didn't stop Slick.
"He took the bin out of my garage so I could not close the garage door," he said of a incident about 12:45 p.m May 25.
He closed the garage door after he thought the bear had left. However, Slick was not far away. He was hiding near one side of the garage.
"He looked as cute as all get out," he said.
What did Scholeck do about the bear in his garage? He went over and spoke him.
"Slick, you're in a world of trouble. You better get out of here," he said to the bear standing about 30 feet away.
The bear just sat there and listened, he said, adding it was the first time he had ever spoken to a bear before.
At no time during his numerous encounters with Slick did Scholeck feel threatened.
"He made no aggressive moves to me," he said.
Slick deciding to walk on his front porch June 2 to get nectar for birds was too close for comfort, though.
His wife also noticed the bear when she was walking their dog in the yard.
This isn't the first time the couple has had wildlife visit their yard. Deer, rabbit and other bears also visit.
Neighbors have also said a bear has been frequenting the area, he said.
Scholeck decided to contact the state Game Commission when all this was occurring and they set a trap for Slick.
The long metal container was baited with donuts to entice him.
He was captured June 3 in the Scholecks' driveway and had tags put on his ears to identification.
Another bear showed up Thursday with tags in its ears and a collar.
Scholeck said Kevin Clouser, wild life conservation officer for the northern part of Schuylkill County, told him Friday that bear was not Slick because he isn't wearing a collar and he was relocated to another part of the county, Clouser said.
Seeing a bear in the county isn't abnormal, he said.
"We're in a rural area. We have bears and they will walk through the yard," he said.
Seeing a bear is more likely during the end of May and beginning of June after they have received their beauty rest and before hibernation in November, Clouser said.
Food sources and garbage attract animals, he said.
"Most people make their own problems with bears," Clouser said.
Scholeck said he takes precautions with his garbage.
In this case, it's not surprising that the bear kept coming back because of the food source, Clouser said.
He estimated about 20 people said they had spotted bears so far this year in the county.
"Typically, a black bear will not attack you or come after you," he said, adding that if you see one, try to make noise to scare off the bear but do not run.
Scholeck said his experience with Slick isn't one he will forget soon.
"I just felt like a kinship with this bear," he said.