Traffic over the Memorial Day weekend was a testament to the high number of Michigan campers and families out for spring road trips. Add black bears on the move to that mix and the result has been a spike in bear sightings.
Traverse City Police Department Road Patrol Capt. Adam Gray confirmed that they received multiple calls over the weekend about bear sightings. He said the reports are referred to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for these cases.
Videos of sightings are circulating on social media, and the Traverse Area Recreation Transportation Trails Director of Communications Kate Lewis said she’s had sightings reported to her as well.
Bear sightings included several on Monday at the Boardman Lake Trail, outside Grand Traverse Mall and Logan’s Landing; and Tuesday outside Target and the bank parking lot around 12:30 p.m.
“This comes up every single spring,” Lewis said. “We just recommend that folks follow proper trail etiquette and take precautions.”
She recommended staying on the trails, properly disposing of food and using common sense.
The Michigan DNR has several safety tips for campers and hikers:
- Never intentionally feed a bear
- Minimize food odors and waste
- Keep food and toiletries outside tents
- Carry bear spray
Lewis could not confirm if every sighting in the last two days was the same bear, but said it’s the first report of the year and the first she’s heard of on the Boardman Trail.
“This is the first sighting this year that we have shared on the trail network, but we’re always trying to educate trail users,” Lewis said. “But of course, there’s bears out on the (trail) right now or have been.
“We just maybe haven’t heard about then because folks are knowledgeable, and they’re not threatened.”
Amber McKenney said she saw a bear as she was driving in town. The bear was running in the streets and parking lot near Target less than 20 yards away from her vehicle.
“I was really concerned about the bear, like I rolled down my window and the people that were coming at me, I was trying to signal them to like ‘be aware, watch,’” she said.
McKenney said the bear looked frantic, like he didn’t know where he was going.
“Every way he looked, it was just cars … It just looked like, ‘Oh buddy, you don’t know where you’re going,’” she said.
The DNR has yet to comment on the bear sightings, or if there is more than one bear being spotted in town.
Last May, a black bear camped out in a tree near 5th and Maple. As previously reported, DNR officials tranquilized the bear and waited for it to take effect. Eventually, they were able to get the bear safely out of the tree, then they took it and released it about 50 to 60 miles away from town.
“I don’t think this sighting should incite fear in anybody by any means,” Lewis said. “I think it’s kind of exciting and, hopefully, the bear gets back to where it needs to go and it’s just one of those springtime things.”
Editor's note: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization. This story was produced in partnership with the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
