Bear Sighting in Cartersville: How To Keep Your Family Safe

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- By now, you may have seen photos (or heard about) the black bear roaming the streets in and around Cartersville.

Followers of the Cartersville Patch Facebook page have reported seeing a small black bear this week around Wendy's on North Dixie Avenue and Target at 100 Cherokee Place, both of which are near the busy thoroughfare U.S. 41/Joe Frank Harris Parkway.

While there have not been any reports of bears vs. human encounters in the county, Patch would like to share some tips provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on what you can do to reduce your chances of running into the mammals. 

The most obvious thing you can do, the agency states, is to minimize the presence of garbage outside your home, the agency said in a press release. 

“Feeding bears, whether intentional or not, creates habituated bears,” said Adam Hammond, wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. “When a bear learns that it can get a ‘free meal’ from garbage, it’s going to return again and again until eventually it loses its natural fear of humans, which can lead to potential conflict issues.” 

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Along with garbage, pet food and birdseed are the top three non-natural food sources for bears, DNR states. 

Homeowners in known bear areas are advised to bring pet food indoors and remove bird feeders during the spring and summer months. 

In Georgia, there are three population centers for black bears: the North Georgia mountains, the Ocmulgee River drainage system in central Georgia and the Okefenokee Swamp in the southeastern part of the state. 

However, black bears can and do range over larger areas, especially in early spring and late summer when natural food sources are scarce. Young male bears also roam larger areas in an effort to establish their own territory, the agency said. 

Homeowners and business owners in areas where bears have been sighted can help reduce human-bear issues by taking these important steps: 

• Convert to bear-proof garbage containers, or secure garbage inside a garage or other enclosed area.
• Place garbage cans at the curb on the day of pick-up rather than the night before. If there is no curbside pick-up in the area, take garbage to the nearest disposal site as soon as possible.
• In some cases, installing an electric fence around garbage storage areas may be useful to prevent bears from accessing household garbage.
• Remove food scraps from grills and fire pits daily.
• Rinse food cans and wrappers before disposal. Keep garbage cans clean and periodically deodorize them.
• Concerning dumpsters, install bear-proof trash bins, attach reinforcing lids or install latch mechanisms. 

For more information regarding black bears, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/BlackBearFacts, contact a Wildlife Resources Division Game Management office or call 770-918-6416. 

Residents can also visit their local library to check out a copy of an informational DVD entitled, “Where Bears Belong: Black Bears in Georgia” or watch it online.

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Image via Pete Poston