Limping Bear Caught On Camera Wandering Into Long Valley Garage

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Bear sightings in front or back yards are relatively common in Morris County this time of the year, but this bear took it a step further when it wandered into a Long Valley home.

Resident Jessica Graff shared her video with Patch of a bear wandering into her Long Valley home's garage. She told Patch she hadn't seen the bear before, but acting on a warning from a neighbor who'd seen it in the neighborhood, decided to check her camera's security footage.

"I was quite surprised to see this! I was home the whole time and never knew," Graff said.

The bear, who was walking with a limp, was caught on her security camera about two weeks ago she said, around the same time a limping bear was seen in Chester (see a video of that encounter here). Graff told Patch it was "probably the same bear."

Patch has contact the Washington Township Police Department to see if they've gotten any calls about the limping bear, and will update this article when we hear back.

Watch a video of the bear checking of Graff's garage here:

Although bear sightings can be fun photo and video opportunities, it's important to remember how to be safe around the creatures. As bear season ramps up, the Division of Fish and Wildlife shared safety tips for bear encounters:

• Remain calm. Do not run!
• Make the bear aware of your presence by making noise. Leave an escape route for the bear. If the bear does not leave, slowly back away.
• If the bear approaches, stand your ground and be assertive. Make yourself look big by waving your arms. Stay together as a group. Toss rocks or sticks.
• If a black bear attacks, fight back! Do not play dead!
• Never feed a bear. It is Dangerous and Illegal. Fed bears can become habituated and may need to be killed to protect public safety.

Residents can report aggressive bears to local police stations, and DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at 1-(877)-WARN-DEP

Have you seen a bear recently? Send photos and videos to katie.kausch@patch.com.

Video and image via Jessica B. Graff, used with permission