Land Between the Lakes Forest Service in KY Warns of a New Black Bear

Black Bears Are Becoming More Common in Kentucky

It seems like I run across a video once a week about the shenanigans of the Black bears in Gatlinburg. They raid cars for snacks, chill in hot tubs, or saunter down busy city streets like they are one of the locals. I'm waiting for one of them to call out, "Hey, Boo-Boo, let’s go get us a pic-a-nic basket! I'm smarter than the average bear!"

Folks in Tennessee are no strangers to sharing their space with black bears, but in recent years, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has also seen a black bear population boom as well. They were almost eradicated in the early 1900s due to habitat loss, rampant hunting, and a lack of protected areas. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources released a statement a couple years back about the growing black bear population.

Where Kentucky’s Bear Population Is Growing

"Long-term monitoring and ongoing research has identified the core population as concentrated along the Pine, Cumberland, and Black Mountain areas within Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties. Their current range also includes the entire eastern region of the Commonwealth along the Southern Appalachian Mountains bordering Virginia and West Virginia. In addition, bears have become increasingly common in McCreary and surrounding counties expanding outward from the junction of the Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area." — Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife

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A Black Bear Has Been Spotted at Land Between the Lakes

Now, here in the tri-state, we do not see black bears just strolling through our woods too much, but the forestry department at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, shared they have a new kid on the block, so keep those pic-a-nic baskets under lock and key.

So it seems LBL does have a permanent resident bear. Or at least one that loves tripping trail cameras in the Tharpe area. These photos were taken last week.

Please be mindful of who we are sharing the woods with and be #bearaware.

They go on to remind folks of the following:

• Never feed bears
• Do not approach bears
• Secure food, garbage, and recycling
• Remove bird feeders when bears are active
• Do not leave pet food outdoors
• Clean and store grills and smokers
• Alert neighbors to bear activity

How to Identify a Black Bear

If you see a bear and just are not sure, black bears are often black, but they can also appear brown or cinnamon in some cases. They typically measure between 4 to 6 feet in length with a dark body, brown muzzle, and sometimes a white patch on their chest.

Those pic-a-nic baskets add up, because they can weigh anywhere from 120 to 350 pounds, depending on age and gender. But in 1998, a male black bear made headlines when it was captured and weighed in at a staggering 880 pounds.

Now that is one big bear.

What to Do if You See a Black Bear

The National Park Service says if you see a black bear, remain calm, do not run, and back away slowly while making yourself look big and loud. Give the bear space and an escape route.

If it approaches, be aggressive. Shout, make noise, and use any available object to defend yourself if needed. Black bear attacks are rare, but they can be dangerous.