Bears in Town

Photo by KDFWR Personnel

As bear numbers increase, so may the occurrence of black bears in towns or local municipalities. These situations generate serious public safety concerns, however, when viewers encroach upon bears and leave no obvious path of escape. Help prevent safety concerns by following these guidelines.

• Do not approach a bear in town.
• Bears will almost always find an escape route if they are left alone.
• Shout and throw sticks or rocks in the vicinity of bear to encourage flight once an escape route has been established.
• Females with cubs will often climb a tree to for escape cover; never surround a tree holding any bear, especially a female with cubs!
• Locate and remove the lure that caused the bear to come into town.

There is almost always a safe escape route when bears enter towns. Crowd control is the initial concern as the behavior of a cornered bear can be unpredictable. Immediately report to the KDFWR any sightings of bears within areas of human population centers.