While visiting McNeill River one year I had the opportunity to observe a certain mother bear and her cubs spend a considerable amount of time on a ledge. A strange place for bears I thought. The mother only left, watched by her young, to quickly snatch a salmon out of the small stream below, immediately returning to the cliff with her catch. Before long I began to realize the wisdom of the mother in keeping her cubs there. Each spring the small cubs face the very real danger of being killed by roving adult male bears who come to fish at the stream. By positioning herself and her cubs high above the stream she could see the other bears below and knew when it was safe to fish. Experience taught this mother there is wisdom in seeking higher ground.