Staying safe from bears during forage season
AUSTIN (KXAN) – As the fall season winds down to winter, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said Thursday people in western, southwestern and northeastern portions of Texas could find themselves in the unwelcome company of black bears.
TPWD said the native Texas animals are guided by an excellent sense of smell and their behavior is driven largely by appetite. Fall provides their last opportunity to feast before they start denning up for the winter, TPWD said.
The department warned the bears' natural instincts to forage become a problem when they find easy meals from humans, such as garbage, pet food or corn from a deer feeder.
If a bear continually finds food around humans, TPWD said it can become habituated, losing its fear of people and creating a potentially dangerous situation.
TPWD encouraged people outdoors to:
- stay alert and together
- keep dogs leashed
- double bag food and trash while hiking or camping
- camp safely
- know what to do if you see a bear
TPWD said black bears are protected and rare species under state law and kill one carries penalties of up to $10,000, added civil restitution fines, jail time and loss of all hunting privileges.
If you see a bear, stay away and do not attempt to feed it, and notify your local police or sheriff dispatch immediately.
For more information, here is the TPWD's site on co-existing with black bears.