By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher

MONTEAGLE, Tenn. — I possess a vague childhood memory about a couple of nuisance black bears being relocated to one of the Tims Ford Reservoir islands sometime in the 1980s. The only problem with that plan was that bears can swim. They did, and several made their way to area slop troughs, including one right down the road from my home. Imagine my surprise when I biked past and spotted the bear lapping up what he must have thought was the biggest bowl of porridge ever.

That event represented a forced migration. It seems black bears may naturally be on the move here. A recent alert posted by Fiery Gizzard State Park in nearby Monteagle is drawing attention to a wildlife trend that has been quietly unfolding across Middle Tennessee for years — the return of the black bear.

The park, a popular destination for hikers just over an hour’s drive from Lynchburg, posted a notice this week warning visitors of a recent black bear sighting within park boundaries and urging people to stay alert, secure food and trash, keep pets leashed, and remain on designated trails. For many Moore County residents, it may come as a surprise. But wildlife biologists say it shouldn’t.

A Tennessee Success Story — With a Caveat

Black bears were nearly wiped out in Tennessee by the early 1970s. In the 1960s, there were as few as 50 black bears inside the borders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tennessee’s bear season was completely closed in the early 1970s as part of an effort to rebuild the population, and the state established bear refuges — protected areas where hunting would never be allowed.

Research and recovery efforts were launched as populations dwindled, including a black bear study in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that began in 1969 as a partnership with the University of Tennessee — the longest ongoing black bear study in the United States. Biologists credit a three-pronged approach to the population’s recovery: reducing poaching, protecting female bears, and establishing sanctuaries.

The results have been remarkable. The TWRA now reports nearly 6,000 black bears across Tennessee. Black bears have been spotted in Macon, Sumner, Cheatham, Stewart, and Davidson counties in the last year and as close as Manchester.

Recolonization, Not Invasion

Wildlife managers are careful about how they describe what’s happening. TWRA Black Bear Program Coordinator Dan Gibbs calls it “recolonization” — the bears are reclaiming habitat they formerly had, in areas where they haven’t been seen in over 100 years.

Before European settlement, black bears roamed all of Tennessee. Now, according to the TWRA, they are beginning to reclaim some of that territory. Bears are recolonizing not just from East Tennessee, but from populations in Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi as well.

The bears most likely to show up in our area are young transient males.

“The thing you’re going to find in Middle Tennessee for several years to come are just for the most part going to be these transient young male bears looking to create new home ranges,” Gibbs recently told Nashville’s WSMV.

Wildlife experts explain that mother bears push males out after the first year so they can find their own territory.

“It shows it’s a healthy population because it’s moving and expanding into that former range,” Gibbs said, “but they do come with some conflicts.”

What You Should Do

The park’s warning echoes guidance from the TWRA and BearWise, a national program focused on coexistence with bears. The key message: most bear conflicts are preventable, and they almost always trace back to food.

“We can’t keep a bear from walking through your yard, but we can tell you how to keep it from staying,” Gibbs said. “When you hear there’s a bear in the area, you need to take notice and look at those attractants.”

Specific steps recommended by TWRA and the Fiery Gizzard notice include: keeping your distance and never following a bear; securing all trash and food — including grills and bird feeders; never feeding wildlife, even unintentionally; keeping pets on a leash; and staying on designated trails in park settings.

Common attractants that draw bears near homes include bird feeders, trash cans, birdbaths, and pet food bowls with leftover food.

Anyone who encounters a bear causing problems — or spots a sick or injured animal — should contact the TWRA. Bear sightings can also be reported at tn.gov/twra. For more tips on living alongside bears, visit BearWise.org. •

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