Twenty years ago the USDA Forest Service had a goal to provide habitat for 400 black bears in the Cherokee National Forest. Today, the Forest is home to approximately 600 bears. Over the same 20-year period, the number of people visiting the Forest has greatly increased. The result? More encounters between humans and bears.

National Forest visitors must properly store unattended food. During 2001 and 2002 there were 78 documented cases of bear incidents in the Cherokee National Forest. The majority occurred in the Tellico/Hiwassee Ranger District and involved bears raiding campsites for food. Most came as a result of improperly stored food, as many people leave food out on tables or in the open. This action becomes the source of most bear and human problems.

The black bear symbolizes the wild qualities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Its recovery from greatly reduced numbers throughout the region to its present thriving population is a result of sound management of bears and their habitat. Yet, in spite of this success humans, who often times mean well, are impacting bears unnecessarily. Improper disposal of garbage and leaving food unattended or improperly stored can be lethal to bears.

Bears are opportunists by nature. They feed on whatever is readily available in the wild, from berries to insects. Bears have a remarkable sense of smell that can lead them to unnatural foods. Garbage and food odors attract bears to residential areas, dump sites, campsites, and picnic areas. Bears that begin to enter places occupied by humans are in immediate danger.

Once a bear develops a pattern of relying on human food sources, it begins to lose its fear of people and may become aggressive. This behavior creates safety concerns for humans and can be fatal for the bear. Bears that frequent inhabited areas may become an easy target for illegal hunting, may be accidentally killed by an automobile, or may ingest toxic material and die.

Following are procedures that will help reduce the chances of a close encounter with a bear while on a picnic or camping trip:

 - Never leave food or trash unattended. If possible place food in trunk of car.

- Never cook or store food in or near your tent.

- Keep a clean site by properly disposing of garbage including fruit rinds and cores, empty cans or jars and aluminum foil used for grilling or cooking.

- Pick up all food scraps around your site.

- Wipe down tabletops after each use and before vacating your site.

- Never approach a bear.

- Never feed a bear or other wild animals.

- If a bear approaches your site, pack up your food and trash. If necessary, attempt to scare the animal away with loud shouts, or by banging pans together. If the bear is persistent, move away slowly to your vehicle or other secure area.

- Keep children close at hand.

- Keep pets properly confined to a leash or in a vehicle or camper.

 - ALWAYS respect bears and admire them from a distance.