Word from the Smokies: For bears, relocation is no happily ever after
The four-state mountain region that includes Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to an estimated 14,500 black bears, but one particular animal had caught the attention of a watchful police chief in one of the park’s gateway communities.
Bears are denning; what to and what not to do
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) advises the public that black bears in North Carolina are in their “winter homes,” which could be anything from a pile of brush, a hollowed-out tree, a rock cavity, an excavation under a fallen tree or even under the deck or in the crawl space of your home.
Word from the Smokies: I-40 rebuild offers rare opportunity for wildlife conservation
When the Safe Passage coalition started working in 2017 to make Interstate 40 a safer place for people and wildlife through the Pigeon River Gorge, nobody knew that, in a few short years, entire sections of the critical roadway would vanish in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Word from the Smokies: Smokies cities make strides toward ensuring bear, human safety with new trash bins
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to an estimated 1,900 black bears — about two per square mile — with more than 14,500 of these iconic mammals roaming the four-state mountain region.
Wildlife Commission approves bear season expansion, deer season shift
During its Feb. 22 meeting, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission voted to adopt a slate of proposed rule changes for the coming year, including a pair of controversial measures that will shift the season dates for white-tailed deer and significantly expand the season length for black bear in the mountain region.
Shifting seasons: Hunters weigh in on proposed bear, deer rule changes
More than 100 people came to a public hearing Thursday, Jan. 11, at Haywood Community College in Clyde, that took input on what would be the first changes to black bear hunting season dates since the 1970s — and opinions were mixed.
Expanded bear season proposed for WNC
A significantly expanded bear hunting season and loosened rules about bait usage are among the rule changes the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing for 2024-2025.
Gorges campground closed after bear encounter
The campground at Gorges State Park in Transylvania County is closed through Nov. 16 after a bear attacked an RV last week.
Parkway section closed after visitors feed young bear
Eight miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Craggy Gardens is closed after multiple visitors were reported feeding and attempting to hold a young bear in recent weeks at Lane Pinnacle Overlook.
Rich Mountain Road reopens after bear scratch
After a monthlong closure enacted when a bear scratched a park visitor, Rich Mountain Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened.
