Kicker: Peckish bear

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Well, young Evan Schmela was enjoying some kettle corn sitting around a fire pit in Aspen, Colorado on a family vacation over the long weekend.

They’d seen a bear or two rummaging around at night, but never during the day. Until Saturday, when Evan’s mom Rachel looked up and saw a huge black bear sniffing that kettle corn mere inches behind her boy’s head!

SCHMELA: I was like frozen for a couple seconds. I didn't know what to do.

Video shows Evan completely unaware of the danger until his dad and uncle sprang into action:

SCHMELA: And they knew just to make some loud noise and then that would scare the bear.

It worked and the bear scurried off and nobody got hurt.

But Colorado Parks and Wildlife give fair warning: we’re now in “fat bear fall,” when bears start eating more to fatten up for winter hibernation.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Something to bear in mind.

BROWN: It’s The World and Everything in It.

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