Archived Outdoors
Bears active in Panthertown
Recent reports of increased bear encounters in Panthertown Valley have prompted a call for caution among visitors.
No injuries have been reported. Encounters include bears stealing backpacks and rifling through supplies and gear. Bears will often stay around the area of the incident for many hours. This time of year black bears are opportunistically looking for food that campers and trail users bring with them.
“Bears become used to people due to the close proximity of residential neighborhoods and the regular use of the same camping spots,” said District Ranger Mike Wilkins. “Once there is more natural food available across the forest the bears should be less aggressive.”
For more bear safety tips, visit http://go.usa.gov/czwbw.
