April 26 (UPI) -- A North Carolina family said their barking dog alerted them to an unusual sight: A black bear lounging at their backyard picnic table.

Christina and Rocky McCormack of Lake Lure, in the western part of the state, said they were in their home about 7 p.m. Monday when their dog, Wilbur, started backing at a window facing the back yard.


"He started barking like crazy, and I saw this huge bear in the back yard," Christina McCormack told WSPA-TV.

"It freaked me out," McCormack said. "It was wild. I've never seen anything like it."

The couple said they've spotted a bear, which they named Yogi, going through their trash on previous occasions, but it was doing something far more unusual Monday: sitting human-style at their picnic table.

"I thought he was going to knock it over, but no he just climbed right up and had a seat," Rocky McCormack said.

McCormack said he went outside after observing the bear for a time and chased the animal away.

"I seen him, and he seen me about the same time, and he took off," he said. "He proved to my wife that bears can move pretty quick."

"He seemed to be pretty docile, but in close quarters, there's no telling what'll do, so definitely watch out for the kids and wife," Rocky McCormack said.

The McCormack's picnic table got off relatively easy: Michigan's Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park -- aka "The Porkies" -- posted a photo to Facebook in November showing a picnic table where a black bear left multiple claw marks and two large chunks missing from the attached bench.

"This picnic table had a close encounter with a sizeable bear! Notice the claw marks? He must have not liked where we put the table! It is near the Log Camp winter warming shelter," park officials wrote.