Bear problems are bearing down throughout Clinton County
Photo credit: Jaci McHenry, Woodward Township resident.
Photo credit: Jaci McHenry, Woodward Township resident.
by Christopher Miller
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Speaking from personal and neighborly experiences, bear issues are on the rise not only in Woodward Township but throughout Clinton County.
According to reports, residents in South Renovo are dealing with multiple bear-related problems such as destruction of property and repeated sightings near high traffic areas.
Residents of Woodward Township are reporting the same – bear sightings in backyards, trash cans knocked over, and trash strewn about.
Though bear activity is normal year-round, it is the high heat and lack of rain water leading to the bears “coming out of the mountains” in search of food and a place to cool down.
According to the publication Living with Pennsylvania Black Bears available for free on the PA Game Commission website, “black bears will eat human food, garbage, bird feed, pet foods, fruits from trees or gardens, and livestock feed…and will also raid cornfields and beehives.” And when food is found they will keep coming back as long as food is available.
“The best way to get rid of these unwanted visitors is to remove or secure food sources, such as keeping them from finding food there in the first place by waiting” (if possible) “to put trash out until the morning of collection day, cleaning cans or bins regularly with hot water and chlorine bleach, cleaning the outdoor grill after every use and disposing of grease, and keeping the area around gardens and fruit trees clean.”
Bear encounters are never fun. Speaking from personal experience, I came across a small bear late one night in 2015 around my car near Nittany Minit Mart and was able to scare it away.
“If you come across a bear on your property, there are two possible courses of action – make loud noises or shout from a distance…or leave the bear alone and clean up the mess after it leaves,” the guide states.
Living with Pennsylvania Black Bears is available to view here on the PA Game Commission website: https://www.pgc.pa.
