Asheville, NC, June 10, 2021Hikers along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are asked to take precautions to avoid bears after recent reports of increased encounters. Some offices are closed to the public while others have limited hours or are open by appointment only. And that is often interpreted by somebody who's afraid of bears as aggressive behavior., Lea believes the WRCs move to open the sanctuaries and sell permits to hunt in them is an easy way to reward their clientele, the bear hunters., A lot of people believe wildlife agencies are there for animals, but their primary goal for some species is to produce a sustainable annual harvest that hunters can kill, Lea said. When storing food be sure to store it 100 yards or more away from campsites. Since 2010, there have been at least 12 incidents in which a bear made contact with a person resulting in either major or minor injuries, according to state wildlife biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel. An effort to trap the bear is the preferred course of action. About the time he got ready to toss in the bags, the bear popped up and growled. In July of 2021, another bear was causing trouble at the Paint Creek Campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Greeneville at the Tennessee-Carolina state line. The article says that the highest number of conflicts between humans and bears occurs in May and June, when food is scarce. "This bear was exhibiting predatory behavior; it attacked in the middle of the night with no known provocation," Dana Soehn, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, told ABC news . I was unloading our souvenirs from my jeep into our rental cabin in Gatlinburg. The rise in bear encounters coincided with the three-day Memorial Day weekend and was concentrated in the Pisgah, Appalachian, and Nantahala Ranger Districts, officials said. Pisgah National Forest officials are warning visitors to Bent Creek Experimental Forest and Black Balsam on the Pisgah Ranger District to be on the look out for black bears. But, he added, the growing bear population in the area remains a concern. Dont leave food for the bear; this encourages further problems. High 71F. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. I yelled at them that there was a bear in it and he laughed. I dont know why they made such light of the situation. ", Forest Supervisor's Office In a June 19 news release, the Forest Service warned visitors to North Mills River, Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville, as well as the Black Balsam and surrounding areas in the. Playing dead is not appropriate. Black bears look for food that campers and trail users bring on their trips. As the bear population has risen, so too has the human population around these parks, leading to more opportunities for bear-human interactions. Get into a vehicle or a secure building. A bear in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park attacked and injured a 16-year-old girl while she was sleeping in a hammock early June 18, according to a news release. Without hunting allowed anymore, the famed mountain woman opined in the 40s or the 50s that the bears and the foxes and other critters were getting far more annoying. Nobody was harmed in those incidents. Throw non-food objects (such as rocks) at the bear. and wait for the bear to leave This time of the year black bears are opportunistically looking for food that campers and trail users bring on their trips. The gorge is formed by the Jonas Ridge on the east and Linville Mountain on the west and is bisected by the Linville River which drops 2,000 feet into the valleys below. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Pisgah National Forest officials are warning visitors to Bent Creek Experimental Forest and Black Balsam on the Pisgah Ranger District to be on the look out for black bears. If you notice a bear nearby, pack up your food and trash immediately and vacate the area as soon as possible. Howard says his agency is the steward of the states wildlife resources, which by law belong to all citizens in the state. See black bears and learn more about them at the WNC Nature Center. Bear attacks in the Smoky Mountains are very rare. Area Status: Open. Back away slowly in the opposite direction She backed back into her room, but if it would have been a child that could have been bad. If you are attacked by a black bear, try to fight back using any object available. Being too close may promote aggressive behavior from the bear such as running toward you, making loud noises or swatting the ground. The predators are relentless, too, and will often stay in the area of the incident for multiple hours, the Forest Service says. Asheville website belongs to an official government organization in the Before you explore waterfalls and hiking trails in the North Carolina mountains, please see our below safety tips to help you in planning the perfect trip! My cousin came out of her room and there he stood. Associated Press Mon 19 Apr 2021 21.30 EDT Last modified on Fri 29 Oct 2021 07.35 EDT A Montana backcountry guide has died after he was mauled by a large grizzly bear that was probably. In June 2021, reports of aggressive bears led to a temporary ban on camping. Pisgah National Forest warns visitors to North Mills River, Bent Creek Experimental Forest, and Black Balsam and surrounding areas on the Pisgah Ranger District to be on the look out for black bears. The operating hours, policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. She rarely sees them there, but she does see them frequently around trash cans in town and in the parking lots at the forest. We spotted the above collared bear eating berries high in a tree on Town Mountain. Campers and hikers are also reminded to take necessary precautions while in bear country including properly following food storage regulations and remaining at a safe viewing distance from bears. About 100 feet up the road he stopped and turned around and came running back down the road directly AT me! The report Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (JCTDA) has once again shown its commitment to environmental stewardship by increasing its funding to $2,500 for the third year By Kristin Fox Next month, the Park It Forward Program will begin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). ( https://bearwise.org/six-outdoor-bearwise-basics/ or go The trail remains open to hiking, but camping is not allowed from Grassy Fork Road, mile marker 245, to Max Patch Road, mile marker 253, including the Groundhog Creek Shelter. State wildlife regulators say bears are increasing in numbers in western North Carolina. We feel comfortable at the densities that we have, but we do have certain specific areas, such as these areas, where we think we need to put a little bit more pressure on the number of bears.. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. I started to type always been a factor, but I remembered an old quote from one of the Walker sisters that indicated the mountain people had almost run the bears out prior to the national park. You have permission to edit this article. 0:00. Howard doesnt think its pushing bears out of their habitat. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. Backcountry users must use commercially-made canisters constructed of solid, non-pliable material manufactured for the specific purpose of resisting entry by bears. Act aggressively and intimidate the bear by yelling and waving your arms. A grizzly bear that fatally mauled a Montana man near . While black bear attacks on people are rare, such attacks have resulted in human fatalities. I dont want to speculate about the hows and whys of his death, but we should note the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) said that the bears had likely not killed him. And they see a person, and they just don't react and they keep walking, Lea said. Playing dead is not appropriate. . A Black Bear is looking out of a Forest in Canada, Photo of black bear by heckepics courtesy of Getty Images. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. This will be Puy du Fou's first attraction in the U.S. For the safety of yourself and the wildlife, never feed or approach black bears. If were going to talk about the rash of bear attacks and bear encounters in and around the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, then we may as well start with this: The remains of a friend of mine from high school were found down a ravine in Blount County earlier in the year. Never run away from a bear-back away slowly and make lots of noise. If you encounter a bear while on the Parkway, call (828) 298-2491 or stop at the nearest Visitor Center to report it. Enter to Win A 2-Night Stay + Spa Treatments at Omni Grove Park Inn, Appalachian Trail: North Carolina Day Hikes. The Pisgah National Forest warns visitors to North Mills River, Bent Creek Experimental Forest, and Black Balsam and surrounding areas on the Pisgah Ranger District to be on the look-out for black bears. Of the total, 1,429 bears were killed in the Mountain Bear Management area, which includes western North Carolina, the second-highest harvest there on record. Food odors and improperly stored garbage often attract bears to campgrounds and picnic sites. North Carolinas most recent bear-attack fatality was a 2020 incident involved an Illinois man killed while camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, McClatchy News reported. If a bear approaches, move away slowly; do not run. In June 2021, reports of aggressive bears led to a temporary ban on camping along the Appalachian Trail in the area, from Double Springs Shelter to Backbone Rock Side Trail. Act aggressively, yelling and waving your arms. The Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing to allow limited permit hunting in the sanctuaries, with permits drawn by lottery. A bear came running up the mountain street and startled me a bit as he passed. Affected campers will be contacted by park staff and the online reservation system, recreation.gov. Retirement communities have sprouted up throughout the area, fueled by affordable land prices and the temperate climate. The bear hasnt attacked anyone but has remained near the campground for weeks and may have to be euthanized. We are always working to improve this website for our users. A woman in Alaska reported being chased by grizzlies, and a California teen went viral after bull-rushing a bear that was perched on a wall, swatting at her familys dogs. The bear is demanding more space. Other counties around Buncombe have seen growth as well. Hikers are strongly encouragedto use bear canisters to properly store food and other scented items such as toothpaste and deodorant. She hikes in the Pisgah Bear Sanctuary about three times a week, often by herself. Asheville, NC, June 25, 2021 Due to continued bear activity, camping is still prohibited along the Appalachian Trail in the Pisgah National Forest from Grassy Fork Road, mile marker 245, to Max Patch Road, mile marker 253. We will announce dates and all other pertinent information once authorization from landholders and other permitting agencies has been established. In fact, its so uncommon that it can be difficult to find many statistics on the subject. Attacks by bears are rare, but not unheard of. , Reuters. We immediately returned to the car and watched in safety as too many souls gambled to see how close they could get for pictures. Read Also: How the Walker sisters became a living tourist attraction in the Smokies. Despite all the warning signs at the park, the trash cans and the parked cars often contain food, so they attract bears looking for an easy meal. We've hiked hundreds of miles in the North Carolina mountains and have only seen bears a few times - always running from us! Get into a vehicle or a secure building. Once a bear feeds off of garbage or litter, they are used to getting food from these sources. On the Grandfather Ranger District, bears have also been active at Table Rock and the Old Fort Picnic Area. It had come out of the woods & as soon as I saw it I stopped, about 30-40 ft away, way too close for me. For more tips, visit I do carry a firearm and was starting to consider if I should fire it into the hillside behind me to make some loud noise to hopefully frighten him off, but I consider that action to be an absolute last resort. Bears are opportunists by nature. Macon County, home to Standing Indian, another bear sanctuary proposed for hunting, has grown 9.1 percent over the past decade. Lake proponents argued that turning Cades Cove into a body of water would promote tourism (photo by Patrick Jennings/stock.adobe.com), Puy du Fou is coming to the Smokies as part of the Exit 407 development. To avoid bear attacks, experts recommend the . Its the second summer in a row that bear alerts have been issued for Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. 160 Zillicoa St. Suite A Visitors are encouraged to prevent bear interactions by practicing these additional safety tips: The large number of bear sightings and encounters in the past few years has led to required use of bear-proof canisters in the Shining Rock and Black Balsam areas. The dumpsters smell like trash and food, but also smell like people. If necessary, attempt to scare the animal away with loud shouts, by banging pans together, or throwing rocks and sticks at it. Black and Native children have consistently had higher death rates than those of other races. 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