September 22, 2006

With autumn just around the corner, many Pennsylvanians will be spending increasing 

amounts of time outdoors. This also is when black bears become more active, setting the 

stage for an increase in bear  sightings and possibly encounters.
    

Mark Ternent, Pennsylvania Game Commission black bear biologist, noted that bears 

have started increasing their food intake to prepare for the upcoming denning season, 

which begins in mid- to late-November. For some bears, the search for food may lead 

them closer to people or homes.

Ternent offered suggestions on how to reduce the likelihood that your property will 

attract bruins and how to best react when a bear is encountered.

"Bear activity increases during the fall because they're foraging to consume as many 

calories as possible from any source they can find in preparation for denning," 

Ternent said. "As a result, sightings of bears can increase.

"While Pennsylvania bears are mostly timid animals that would sooner run than 

confront people, residents should know a few things about how to react if they 

encounter a bear, or better yet, how to avoid an encounter altogether by reducing 

the likelihood of attracting bears in the first place."

Ternent stressed there are no known records of a Pennsylvania black bear killing 

a human, and there have been fewer than 20 reported injuries resulting from black bear 

encounters during the past 10 years in the state. However, deaths caused by 

black bears have been reported in other eastern states, such as New York (2002) 

and Tennessee (2000 and 2006). Pennsylvania's bear population currently is 

estimated at 15,000 animals, and reports of bears becoming bold because people 

failed to keep food away from them are not uncommon.

"Pennsylvanians need to understand that when bears become habituated to their homes 

or communities, it can lead to conflicts and possibly serious injury," Ternent said. "Feeding 

wildlife, whether the activity is intended for birds or deer, can draw bears into an area. Once 

bears become habituated to an area where they find food, they will continue to return, 

which is when the bear can become a real problem for homeowners and neighbors.

"Even more disturbing are the reports we receive about people intentionally 

feeding bears to make them more visible for viewing or photographing."

Since March 2003, it has been illegal to intentionally feed bears in Pennsylvania. 

Also, the unintentional feeding of bears that results in nuisance complaints filed with 

the Game Commission can result in a written warning that, if ignored, could 

lead to a citation.

"We recognize that people enjoy viewing wildlife, and we are not attempting to 

impact that activity," Ternent said. "But, in light of the state's growing bear and human 

populations in some areas, the agency has an obligation to take action to reduce 

conflicts when and where we can. All too often, human complaints about bears can 

be traced back to intentional or unintentional feeding of bears. To protect the public, 

as well as bears, we need to avoid the dangers of conditioning bears to finding 

food around homes. It would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

"Also, as a result of Pennsylvania's large human and bear populations,
bears and people are coming into contact more frequently. These encounters
are occurring because human developments are encroaching into bear habitat
while bears have likewise expanded into new areas. Chance encounters in the
field also appear to be more common than before in some areas."

Ternent listed five recommendations to reduce the chances of having a close 

encounter with a black bear on a homeowner's property:

    Play it smart. Do not feed wildlife. Food placed outside for wildlife, such as corn 

for squirrels or deer, may attract bears. Reconsider putting squash, pumpkins, 

corn stalks or other Halloween or holiday decorations outside that also may attract bears. 

Even bird feeders can become " include: restrict feeding season to when bears den, 

which is primarily from late November through late March; avoid foods that are 

particularly attractive for bears, such as sunflower seeds, hummingbird nectar 

mixes or suet; bring feeders inside at night; or suspend feeders from high
crosswires.

    Keep it clean. Don't place garbage outside until pick-up day; don't throw table scraps 

out back for animals to eat; don't add fruit or vegetable wastes to your compost pile; 

and clean your barbecue grill regularly. If you feed pets outdoors, consider placing 

food dishes inside overnight. Encourage your neighbors to do the same.

    Keep your distance. If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm. From a safe 

distance, shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog. If the bear won't leave, 

slowly retreat and call the nearest Game Commission regional office or local police 

department for assistance.

    Eliminate temptation. Bears that visit your area are often drawn there. Neighbors 

need to work together to reduce an area's appeal to bears. Ask area businesses to keep 

dumpsters closed and bear-proofed (chained or locked shut).

    Check please! If your dog is barking, or cat is clawing at the door to get in, try to 

determine what has alarmed your pet. But do it cautiously, using outside lights to full 

advantage and from a safe position, such as a porch or an upstairs window. All 

unrecognizable outside noises and disturbances should be checked, but don't do it 

on foot with a flashlight. Black bears blend in too well with nighttime surroundings 

providing the chance for a close encounter. If bears have been sighted near your 

home, it is a good practice to turn on a light and check the backyard before taking
pets out at night.

    "Ideally, we want bears to pass by residential areas without finding a food reward that 

would cause them to return and become a problem," Ternent said. "Capturing and moving 

bears that have become habituated to humans is costly and sometimes ineffective 

because they can return or continue the same unwanted behavior where released. 

That is why wildlife agencies tell people that a 'fed bear is a dead bear."

Ternent noted that although bears are no strangers to Pennsylvanians, bears are 

misunderstood by many.

"Bears should not be feared, nor should they be dismissed as harmless; they simply need 

to be respected," Ternent said. He also advised:

    Stay Calm. If you see a bear and it hasn't seen you, leave the area calmly. Talk to the 

bear while moving away to help it discover your presence. Choose a route that will not 

intersect with the bear if it is moving.

    Get Back. If you have surprised a bear, slowly back away while quietly talking. Face 

the bear, but avoid direct eye contact. Do not turn and run; rapid movement may be 

perceived as danger to a bear that is already feeling threatened. Avoid blocking the bear's 

only escape route and try to move away from any cubs you see or hear. Do not attempt to 

climb a tree. A female bear can falsely interpret this as an attempt to get at her cubs,
even though the cubs may be in a different tree.

    Pay Attention. If a bear is displaying signs of nervousness or discomfort with your presence, 

such as pacing, swinging its head, or popping its jaws, leave the area. Some bears may bluff 

charge to within a few feet. If this occurs, stand your ground, wave your arms wildly, and
shout at the bear. Turning and running could elicit a chase and you cannot outrun a bear. 

Bears that appear to be stalking should be confronted and made aware of your willingness to 

defend by waving your arms and yelling while you continue to back away.

    Fight Back. If a bear attacks, fight back as you continue to leave the area. Bears have 

been driven away with rocks, sticks, binoculars, car keys, or even bare hands.

"Learning about bears and being aware of their habits is a responsibility that comes with 

living in rural Pennsylvania or recreating in the outdoors," Ternent said.

Intelligent and curious, black bears are heavy and have short, powerful legs. Adults usually 

weigh from 200 to 600 pounds, with rare individuals weighing up to 800 pounds. An adult 

male normally weighs more than an adult female, sometimes twice as much.

Bears may be on the move at anytime, but they're usually most active during evening and

morning hours. Bears are omnivorous, eating almost anything from berries, corn, acorns, 

beechnuts, or even grass to table scraps, carrion, honey and insects.

More information on black bears is available on the Game Commission's website 

(http://www.pgc.state.pa.us) by selecting on "Hunting" and then clicking on the 

black bear photograph.

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for 

conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing 

hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat 

on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and 

furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts numerous wildlife 

conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs. The Game Commission 

does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is 

funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, 

which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies 

from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.