Homeowner relieved as bear declines to pursue adverse possession
After spending a month living beneath a man’s house in bear country, the bear that stubbornly refused to acknowledge human notions of property rights has finally left the building.
After spending a month living beneath a man’s house in bear country, the bear that stubbornly refused to acknowledge human notions of property rights has finally left the building. The removal was carried out by The Bear League, using paintballs to gently persuade the animal that it might enjoy literally anywhere else more.
The update video shows a refreshingly low-drama operation. The homeowner, previously distressed that the bear did not respect zoning laws, setbacks, or the concept of private crawl spaces, can now return to an illusion of control. The bear, meanwhile, wandered off to continue being a bear, apparently uninterested in filing paperwork or contesting ownership under common law.
This was always the likeliest outcome. Bears do not read signs. They do not recognize municipal authority. They do not care that you bought land that overlaps with their habitat. What they do care about, it turns out, is being mildly annoyed with paintballs until relocation feels like the better option.
Everyone survived. No one was mauled. No smarter-than-the-average-bear lawyer was consulted. Nature remained undefeated, and the housing market avoided its first ursine adverse possession case.
Sometimes coexistence is profound. Sometimes it’s inconvenient. And sometimes it’s a nonprofit from Lake Tahoe calmly shooting paintballs at a bear.
They also use shock mats to discourage the bear from returning before the homeowner could get the access closed off.