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Black Bear population on the rise
By Sally Boswell
The Paris News
Published October 4, 2006
There are bears in the woods of northeast Texas. Well, at least one bear.
Photographs taken a few weeks ago on a deer lease in northern Red River County, and confirmed this week by officials with Texas Parks and Wildlife, clearly captured the image of a black bear making a meal on deer corn scattered across a clearing.
Wes Littrell, wildlife biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife in Lamar County identified the bear as “most likely” a sub-adult American Black Bear (ursus americanus). Littrell theorized the animal, which he estimated to be in the 200-250 pound range, had been pushed out of its original habitat in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma for a variety of reasons.
“The black bear populations in the states around us is growing,” he said, “and when a population grows, it spreads out. This bear has most likely moved into this area looking for a home range, a place to live. They couldn't hang around the population they were born into, because Dad don't want them around. So they have to move on.”
“When breeding season comes along, he'll get lonely,” added Littrell, “and will most likely move on.”
Littrell also offered the opinion that the ongoing drought across the region could have pushed the bear further away from its original habitat and into areas not previously known to harbor the animal.
Historically, the entire state of Texas was bear habitat. The American black bear was found throughout central and west Texas, and two subspecies of bear — the Louisiana black bear and the New Mexico black bear — ranged the swamp lands and deserts of far eastern and far western Texas, respectively.
According to TP&W, the last native bear in East Texas was killed in the late 1950s and sightings of the animal were rare for years afterward. In the mid-1960s, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries released 161 black bears back into the wilderness in an effort to boost populations of the animal in the state.
Since 1977, TP&W has documented black bear sightings in 22 counties in east and northeast Texas, including Bowie, Red River, Lamar, and Fannin counties. In 1998, a number of sightings were reported in Lamar County, and one landowner in the county reported videotaping a bear feeding on his property.
“The black bear is not a threat to humans or livestock,” said Lamar County Game Warden Darla Barr. “Bears are primarily herbivores, favoring fruits, nuts, berries and things such as grubs and insects. They are dangerous only if people get too close to them or provoke them in some way.”
Littrell confirmed Barr's opinion.
“A bear is omnivorous, it will eat anything it finds,” he said, “but they are not big on chasing down animals and killing them and eating them. Bears are big animals and they are not going to expend energy like that.”
A bear will eat carrion if it finds it, added Littrell, and will raid a backyard garden or vegetable patch for the tender fruits and vegetables they find there.
“Bears are going to choose habitats that offer very few chances to encounter people,” he said. “They are going to avoid people whenever possible.
Conflicts between humans and bears arise when bears lose their natural inclination to avoid people, Littrell added, which is usually caused because people have intentionally or accidentally made food easily available to the animal.
To help reduce the chances of human/bear encounters, Littrell offered the following suggestions:
•Dispose of all garbage properly.
“Don't throw trash over the back fence,” Littrell said. “Burn it, or bury it, or haul it off away from the house to a proper trash dump, especially food waste such as grease, meat and rotten vegetables.”
•Keep livestock feed securely stored and covered.
“This includes cat and dog food, horse and cattle feed and poultry feed,” he said. “And such things as deer corn.”
•Dispose of all animal carcasses properly.
“Again, bury it, burn it or carry it away,” Littrell said.
With the beginning of hunting season in Northeast Texas approaching, Littrell also warned hunters to pay attention to the possibility of encountering bears in wooded areas.
“Keep gutpiles from deer hunting or any other field dressing wastes to a minimum and dispose of them properly. A bear might defend a food source such as a carcass and see a human that gets too close as a threat and attack.”
Littrell also advised property owners to keep barns and outbuildings securely closed to lessen the chance of a bear entering a structure in search of food. Doors and widows of all homes should also be kept secured.
“If you enter a building and there is a bear in the building, back out immediately,” he said. “Leave it alone and call the game warden.”
Littrell warned hunters and property owners to refrain from shooting any bears they encounter.
“The bear is a protected species in America and in the state of Texas,” he said, “and anyone damaging or killing a bear is subject to federal and state charges along with some hefty fines. The charges apply not only if you intentionally kill it, but also if you accidentally or mistakenly kill it thinking it might be some other animal such as a feral hog, so be careful.”
Littrell asks anyone who sights a black bear to call 903-566-1626, and ask for David Sierra, the TP&W wildlife leader for District 5.
“If we can find it, we can dart it and collar it and track its movements for a few weeks,” Littrell said. “It would be a unique opportunity to study the animal.”
TP&W has no plans to trap the bear unless it becomes a nuisance, and only if it proved to be a danger to humans or property would officials undertake to kill or relocate the animal, Littrell said.
“We'll just let it do it's thing.”
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