(LEX 18) – The US Forest Service is warning campers and hikers to be on the lookout for black bears after several sightings were reported.
A black bear was spotted at two different campgrounds surrounding Laurel Lake this weekend. Some people enjoying the outdoors at the Holly Bay Campground at Laurel Lake were joined by the unwanted guest.
Rangers with the Daniel Boone National Forest talked with LEX 18 about the sightings. They want to warn everyone that something as small as a little bag of potato chips left on a picnic table can lure Yogi Bear out of the woods.
“If you’re not actively cooking, preparing or eating food, food needs to either be stored in a hard shell camper or in a vehicle," Ranger Jason Nedlo told LEX 18.
If you are in the woods, stay aware of your surroundings. If you encounter a bear, it’s best to make yourself known.
“They are more scared of us than we are of them. So if anybody encounters a bear, whether it’d be in the woods or in your backyard, make yourself big, make a lot of noise. We were actually banging pots and pans this weekend together," says Ranger Nedlo.
