Hardeman County Bear
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Wildlife officials said a Black Bear made its way to West Tennessee last week. The bear is thought to have originated from Alabama, crossed Mississippi and entered Tennessee through Hardeman County. “He just on the walk-about, traveling around. He hasn’t posed a threat to anybody,” said TWRA Region 1 Law Enforcement Manager Brian Thompson. Thompson said the animals do not, as a rule, pose a threat to humans, unless they are cornered. This bear, however, has a particular trait that brings him in contact with humans. “He is not living off the land like he should be and he has a fetish for trash cans,” said Thompson. A family living in Saulsbury thought they heard a burglar outside their home and discovered the bear rummaging through their garbage can. The husband fired several rounds into the air in an attempt to scare the bear away. However, rather than run into the woods, the bear climbed a tree near their home and stayed there for hours. “We want people to give him some distance, some respect and let’s leave him alone,” said Thompson. Thompson said it is illegal to shoot a bear in Tennessee.
