Video: Bear Relaxes in Hot Tub, Drinks Margarita

American Hunter Staff

posted on July 5, 2018

Support NRA American Hunter DONATE

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

It appears that even bears need some genuine rest and relaxation every once and awhile. Over the weekend, Altadena, Calif., resident Mark Hough shared a video of a bear taking a dip in his unheated hot tub.

Hough he was lounging in his backyard on Friday afternoon when he heard rustling and saw the bear climbing over his fence. He went inside—leaving his margarita behind—and observed the bear, recording it in his hot tub with the jets on.

The bear played with the chlorinator and tossed the thermometer in the air. “He was playing having a grand old time,” Hough told The Associated Press.

Once he hopped out of the hot tub, the bear “popped out of the bushes, walked right over to the margarita, knocked it over and lapped it.” The bear was spotted sleeping in a neighbor’s tree about an hour later.

“So he had his margarita, he had his Jacuzzi, and now he’s ready for an hour nap,” Hough said.

Latest

Things I’ve Learned About Public-Land Elk

Every generation has a story starting with, “I remember the good old days.” Elk hunters have a similar dialogue and although elk numbers are at some of their highest in modern history, public-land hunting still represents a sea of challenges. With decades of elk hunting in my rearview and an ongoing education, a few lessons I’ve learned from elk hunting may aid you in your public-land elk pursuits.

News, New for 2026

Colorado Ballot Battle Heats Up

The required number of valid signatures to put a “Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment” on Colorado’s Nov. 3 ballot was reached on Sept. 4. If approved by voters—according to Ballotpedia’s summary—it would add the “…right to hunt, fish, and take fish and wildlife through traditional methods” to the state constitution.

News, Game

#SundayGunday: CZ 600+ ST3 American

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are taking a look at the new-for-2026 design of the CZ 600+ ST3 American, the ST3 being the long- and magnum-action model. Built by the legendary Czech company for the American market, this is a rifle adapted perfectly to hunting on this continent.

News, New for 2026

How Can Hunters Travel Out of State With Suppressed Firearms?

Getting federal and state agencies out of the way of the citizens who wish to use suppressors to make their guns more polite to their ears and to their neighbors’ is an ongoing, complex and multifaceted effort. There is, however, progress being made thanks to the Trump administration.

News, Your Rights

A Shared Memory Between Life’s Chapters

Check out this memorable hunting story from member William Scott Aldridge.

News, Game

Hardware Review: Browning BAR MK 4 Hunter

First, the Browning Automatic Rifle addressed in this article is not the renowned 1918 BAR of military fame. I’ve actually seen an American Rifleman editor hunt hogs with a reproduction 1918 BAR. While it was a spectacle to behold, it’s probably not the optimal choice for the deer woods, but hey, who am I to judge? The Browning BAR we’re talking about in this article is the iconic hunting rifle.

News, Guns & Gear