Citizen reports bear sighting near Fernside/Brookdale

A little after 1 p.m. today, May 23, the Toccoa Police Department received a call from a citizen reporting the sighting of a bear in the wood line near the intersection of Fernside Drive and Brookdale Road.

Toccoa Police Chief Jimmy Mize told WNEG, “Our officers rode the area around Brookdale and Fernside and the subdivision there, and even checked the herd of cows at the corner of Fernside and East Currahee/SR365. The officers had no contact with the bear, and the cows did not appear spooked.”

Mize said the bear must have been just traveling through the area, and added that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has advised him previously that, depending on the time of year and the age of the bear, some black bears can take on a reddish color to their coat. Black bears are the only natural bear species in Georgia.

Following are a few tips from GDNR about resident interaction with black bears.

NEVER FEED OR APPROACH BEARS: Feeding bears (intentionally or unintentionally) trains them to approach homes and people for more food. Bears will defend themselves if a person gets too close, so don’t risk your safety and theirs!

SECURE FOOD, GARBAGE AND RECYCLING: Food and food odors attract bears so don’t reward them with easily available food or garbage.

REMOVE BIRD FEEDERS WHEN BEARS ARE ACTIVE: Birdseed and other grains have a high calorie content making them very attractive to bears. The best way to avoid conflicts with bears is to remove feeders.

NEVER LEAVE PET FOOD OUTDOORS: Feed outdoor pets portion sizes that will be completely eaten during each meal and then remove leftover food and food bowl. Securely store these foods so nothing is available to bears.

CLEAN AND STORE GRILLS: After you use an outdoor grill, clean it thoroughly and make sure that all grease and fat is removed. Store cleaned grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.

ALERT NEIGHBORS TO BEAR ACTIVITY: Share news with your friends and neighbors about recent bear activity and how to avoid bear conflicts.