There are two known bear sightings and one supposed bear activity (bird feeder mangled by a strong creature) in this gated community. Word has gone out to put our trash out in the morning instead of the night before.

A preserve is located on the other side of State Highway 484. Not worried; it's just I go from Dallas to a gated community in the middle of bear country. We could use a bit of excitement around here.

Jeanette Isabelle

Conservation works. Although I am more familiar with the Virginia/Maryland area, in most, if not all, states along the east coast of the USA, black bear populations have been increasing and "colonizing" new (frequently suburban or semi-suburban) areas. Maybe this is what is going on in your neck of the woods. I did a quick check and yes, the pattern holds in Florida, where in the 1970's there was estimated to be only about 300 Black Bears in all of Florida---now, the estimate is more than 4 thousand. Good news in one way, but also a reason to be careful. More on the Florida bears progress here: https://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2017/04/florida-black-bear-population-continues-to-increase/

I have yet to actually see one (outside of a zoo), but I would be envious if you do so ---safely!

All I've seen in this community are the wild turkeys.

Jeanette Isabelle

Where I live (BC Canada) the black bear population is estimated at 120 to 150 thousand black bears to the point for many, seeing a bear either in the urban or wild environment is more common then rare nowadays.

As the human population encroaches into bear territory, the human- wildlife conflicts occur and it is the bears who are inevitably on the losing end of the conflict.

A very large-scale problem: B.C. sees more than 20,000 human-wildlife conflicts in 2017.

Then having people like this really shows why so many bears have to be destroyed every year. IMO, the destroying should be the other way around...

From 4 days ago.

Video captures B.C. family hand-feeding black bears

Go hike in the mountains around the Shenandoah Valley or drive around Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, you will see plenty.

Arrggh! This fine example of dubious human behaviour infuriates me.

In Saskatchewan, we find the odd black bear in the parks but not usually in the south. Back in the 1800's when the bison ruled the plains, there were numerous plains grizzlies to control the population. Ever since the bison have disappeared the blackies haven't moved into the south either.

Black bears do well around humans. When I lived in Northern California, over the couple of dozen years we saw the mule deer populations plummet and the black bear populations grow. I used to see up to 100 deer in one evening drive up north from Tahoe, now you might see 1.

Bear sign is more often seen in the mountains there than deer these days too.

Now I live up in Washington and see occasional black bear, but we also have increasing populations of grizzly, cougar, wolves, even a handful of lynx and a wolverine or two. It is good news. The moose are still doing well, unlike some other parts of the country.

It is not really the case that people are spreading into the wild areas here, they did that 4 generations ago. If anything, more people are moving to urban areas for the jobs.

Bear spray is carried at every little hardware store now and you see it on the trails a lot these days.