Bear Tree?

Down the street and around the corner, this tree in the woods “bears” a scar that is about 18 inches wide and six feet tall with chips scattered about the ground. The interior of the scar is full of insect burrows. Perhaps a hungry bear found a termite hoard and excavated the nest; they are known to eat termites and other insects.

(p.s. this morning on our walk we could see that the other side of the tree had been hacked out as well, new since yesterday.)

Four or five years ago, while walking in the dark near here, we encountered a black bear that was rummaging through garbage left out for pick up. We were uncomfortably close when we realized that the ”shadow” we had been watching was moving, and not a shadow at all. Fortunately it immediately wandered off into the nearby woods and we did not have to return home to change underwear.