The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ( TPWD ) urges residents of the western, southwestern, and northeastern regions of Texas to take the necessary bear safety precautions as winter draws near and to report bear sightings.
Native to Texas, black animals are a component of the country’s ecosystem and natural heritage. Their behavior is largely influenced by hunger, which is guided by an outstanding sense of smell. Their final chance to dinner before preparing for the spring is during the fall.
When bears find simple meals from humans, such as garbage, animal food, or corn from a animal feeder, their natural instincts to feed become an issue. A bear may be habituated, losing its fear of people, and end up in a potentially dangerous situation if it consistently finds food close to people.
When hiking or camping, people are encouraged to keep their dogs leashed, double bag food and trash, camp carefully, and know what to do if they spot a bear.
Many communities have implemented bear-proof garbage cans as a great opportunity to lessen bear encounters. TPWD biologists advise keeping garbage bags in a safe location until the morning of trash pickup, feeding pets in, or limiting the amount of pet food in each feeding to that which can be consumed in its entirety.
The TPWD and Bear Wise sites have more details, such as how to use “unwelcome sheets” and safe deer feeder or apiaries with electrical fences. To deter bears without seriously harming them, unpleasant mats made of rough wooden and nails or brads can be placed around outside freezers and refrigerators, doors, and gate openings.
It is against the legislation to kill, abuse, or kill bears because they are a non-game animal that have been given state protected status as an endangered species.
Avoid feeding bears if you see them, and call your local police or sheriff’s transport right away to ask for the local TPWD researcher or game warden.
