More bears being sighted in southern Wisconsin
Beware the bear.
The Department of Natural Resources is getting reports of black bears being sighted this summer in southwest Wisconsin, including Dane, Sauk, Richland and Iowa counties.
DNR wildlife biologist Becky Roth said there's little cause for alarm because the bears are normally timid and try to avoid contact with people, but they could cause problems if scavenging for food around homes or campsites.
The local sightings were near Blue Mounds in western Dane County, near Barneveld in Iowa County, near Richland Center in Richland County and near Lake Delton in Sauk County, all during the past three weeks.
Black bears are common in northern Wisconsin but usually don't show up in southern Wisconsin unless forced out of their breeding territories and have to go a long way to find new habitat.
Population estimates show about 12,000 bears in the state, but only 1,800 living in the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin.
Southern Wisconsin could become more popular with bears, thanks to more young adult males coming down from the north to breed, and sows, cubs and yearlings staying in the south instead of going a long distance "up north" over a short period of time.
"The wooded hills, coulees, creeks and river bottoms of southwestern Wisconsin provide abundant food and cover for bears as well as potential winter den sites, so it's possible wandering bears will find it to their liking and some may decide to stay," Roth said.
If bears are hanging around your neck of the woods, you can avoid trouble by taking some simple steps to not invite the bears into your backyard or campsite.
Don't knowingly feed a bear, keep meat scraps in a freezer until garbage day and garbage containers in an enclosed building until pickup time, reduce garbage odors by rinsing out cans before putting into recycle bins or garbage cans, keep pet food inside or don't feed in the evening, and keep barbeque grills and picnic tables clean.
Campers shouldn't sleep in clothes worn while cooking, don't bring food into a tent, don't dump food scraps by a campsite and make sure all food, scraps and cooking utensils are in bear- and critter-proof containers.
If you have a close encounter with a bear near your home, wave your arms or make loud noises to scare the bear away and back away slowly or go inside and wait for the bear to leave.
If you are out in the woods, stay calm, don't approach the bear or try to shoot it, give it space, walk away and watch from a distance, and never approach mama bear with her cubs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service also has a 24-hour bear hotline at 1-800-433-0688, that people in need of assistance can call if a situation becomes un-bear-able.
