Local certified Master Naturalist gives tips on bear safety

HOUSTON COUNTY – This summer, those who prefer hiking in the local areas or in the nearby mountains must know what to do if they encounter bears. 

For this week’s Summer Safety Series, the Journal talked to certified Master Naturalist John Trussell who is very familiar with bears and bear safety. He is mostly known for helping preserve the bears’ main habitat in Central Georgia located at the Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area. Trussell formed a group back in 2007 called “Save Oaky Woods,” which led to the State purchasing 9,500 acres of bear habitat in Central Georgia.  

According to Trussell, in the eighties, Middle Georgia only had about 60 bears. 

“Right now the population has grown some, and we are thinking in Middle Georgia the bear population is around 300 bears,” he said. “It is mostly concentrated in Oaky Woods and Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area along the Ocmulgee River.”

 In Georgia, there is only a population of black bears. There are three main populations of bears in Georgia.

One is near the Okefenokee Swamp which consists of over 3,000 bears which migrate in and out of Florida. Then, there is the Central Georgia population which is around 300 bears. Lastly, there is the North Georgia population which the State shares with Tennessee and North Carolina, and there are about 4,000 to 6,000 bears in that area.

Depending on where you are in Houston County is how often a bear may be seen. Eastern Houston County around Bonaire and Kathleen are the areas Trussell mentioned. 

“Occasionally you will see a bear run across the road,” he said. “They may get into a trash can, so it’s really important that you have containers that are bear proof, especially if you are out camping.

Trussell says that bears typically avoid human areas such as subdivisions.

 “What I advise folks to do is to leave bears alone if you happen to see one and don’t let your dog chase it up a tree and keep them on a leash,” he said. “If one does run up a tree it is not a cause to call DNR or law enforcement, if you just leave the bear alone it will climb down the tree and go into the woods like it’s supposed to. We need to learn how to live with bears and that’s just one of the things we need to do.”

Trussell also mentions there has never been a bear attack in Georgia, but also said that doesn’t mean there cannot be one.

“Generally where bears create problems are in campgrounds and in residential areas where they used to be fed,” he said. “There are areas around the Great Smoky Mountains where bears are coming out of the mountains and are going to get food in trash cans, homes, and even vehicles, but we don’t normally have those situations in Houston County.”

Those who have a hunting and fishing license can camp for free in the Larry Ross campground in Oaky Woods, however, Trussell suggests campers be “bear aware,” which means keeping their food in an airtight container, such as a sealed cooler.

“If a bear smells food they are liable to come into the camp, but as far as I know we haven’t had any of those experiences,” he said. “Cleaning up the camp and not leaving food around is a good thing to do.”

 According to Trussell, there is probably a 99.9% chance [the bear] is going to run away if you do see one in the woods.

 “We have never seen a bear on one of our hikes because we are so noisy and we smell,” he said. “You are probably not going to see a bear walking through the woods as bears are generally scared of humans and they are going to run away.”

 If you see a bear, Trussell says they are likely going to walk on by, and if they see you they will most likely run away. 

“If someone sees a bear, they just need to make some noise, let the bear know that they’re there and the bear is going to run off,” he said.

 For extra peace of mind, hikers can carry bear spray, a very potent variety of bear deterrents.

 “I don’t normally carry bear spray, so you don’t need it in Central Georgia, but I have carried it out West when I was afraid of being attacked by Grizzly bears as they have more bear problems out there,” Trussell said.

Trussell said bears are part of nature and we should accept them.

 “They have always been in Middle Georgia and we hope they are always going to be here,” he said. “That was one of the reasons we tried to preserve the Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area to make sure we always had a bear habitat.”

 For more information about black bears and bear safety visit bearwise.org