Flowers, Pollen and Bears…Oh my!!

Yes, bears have been seen in Rutherford County. Twice a bear has been seen in

Spindale. It is spring and the bears are waking up and they are hungry. Every year we

warn our listeners to be careful and mindful regarding bear activity in their

neighborhood.

Bear cubs are cute, but they are not Yogi and Booboo. Bears will wonder into any

neighborhood especially if they smell food. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources

Commission advises that you:

Never feed or approach bears

Secure food, garbage and recycling

Remove bird feeders when bears are active

Never leave pet food outdoors

Clean and store grills, smokers

Alert neighbors to bear activity.

If you encounter a bear in the wild, BearWise offers these tips in addition to the ones

above:

Stay alert and stay together when hiking

Leave no trash or food scraps

Keep dogs leashed

Camp safely: do not store food, trash, clothes worn when cooking or toiletries in your

tent

If you encounter a black bear, don’t approach it; if it sees you, back away slowly; if it

approaches you, hold your ground and yell “Hey Bear” until it leaves; if it keeps

approaching, use bear spray

Carry bear spray

If you see a bear in your neighborhood, again do not approach the bear. Do not throw

scraps of food to get it to leave. Bears are like cats, feed them once and they come right

back.