Norwich Black Bear Spotted Roaming Through Neighborhood

Is it me or are we seeing more bear sightings in the Southern Tier? Maybe they've always been around but we see them more because it's posted on Facebook. When I lived in Vestal, I never saw a bear but I see plenty of them now on FB.

Get our free mobile app

The latest bear sighting comes to us from Norwich. On Thursday, June 17th, a large male black bear was seen on Calvary Drive near Rexford Street and NYS 23. By the responses, he's been seen around the area more times than a town drunk.

That leads me to my next question. What should you do if you spot a bear? The NYS Department of Environmental Conversation has some suggestions.

What To Do When You Spot A Black Bear

Don't approach the bear - If you're inside your home and the bear is on your lawn, make some loud noises inside and that should cause the bear to leave the area.

Remove easily accessible food sources - If you have bird feeders, messy grills, garbage cans, or pet food on your property then move it, secure, or remove them altogether.

Garbage is very attractive to bears - Keep your refuse in sealed garbage cans inside a garage or shed. If you find bears frequently foraging through your garbage, get a bear-resistant trash container.

Remove the grease can from grills after every use - When you are done cooking, turn the grill on "High" for a few minutes and the scapes and odors that were left behind will be gone.

Don't feed your pets outside - The food that is left behind or the empty dish can draw the attention of a bear looking for a snack.

These are just a few ideas to keep Yogi, Smokey, or Pooh away. Go here for other ideas so that you can keep your stuff in one piece.