Bear spotted on Nashville trail camera

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Hunter Chris Conquest got quite the surprise when he discovered photographs of a black bear, captured Saturday by his motion activated camera, setup near Baxter Road on the edge of Davidson County. The hunter thought he was monitoring deer activity, but was surprised to see a bear come across the camera's frame.

“I hit the picture and opened it up and there’s a bear,” said Conquest. “I’m like no way I got a bear in Joelton of all places.”

Conquest said it's the first time he's come across a bear in Joelton.

"Though there isn’t a breeding population of bears in Middle Tennessee, it is not uncommon to see young bears moving through the area looking to set up their own home range," TWRA said in a news release. "Typically, the young males will travel longer distances away from established bear populations before circling back and settling on the fringe of the existing bear population"

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Barry Cross said encounters with bears traveling from the Eastern border will continue to increase as they search for a place to live.

“This is a young male that’s going to be moving through our area,” said Cross. “He’s looking for a place to call home, but he’s not going to setup a home unless there are females present.”

Residents should not approach bears in their area. Some things that might attract bears include bird feeders, trash, bird baths and pet food bowls with leftover food. Sightings of bears and other wildlife can be submitted to TWRA officials.

Here are some guidelines from TWRA on bears:

• Never Feed or Approach Bears Intentionally. Feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. 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, liquids or garbage.
• Remove Bird Feeders When Bears Are Active. Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, so they’re very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears.
• Never Leave Pet Food Outdoors. Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove food and bowls after feeding. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it.
• Clean & Store Grills. Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
• Alert Neighbors to Bear Activity. See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share information on how to avoid bear conflicts. Bears have adapted to living near people; now it’s up to us to adapt to living near bears.

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