Lucas Adcock
Staff Writer
If it seems like black bears are turning up everywhere this summer – in yards, on porches, and on trail cameras across Pocahontas County – wildlife officials say the numbers back up the impression, but not necessarily for the reason most people assume.
West Virginia’s black bear population has grown from an estimated 500 animals (confined to about 10 eastern counties in the early 1970s) to a statewide population now estimated between roughly 12,000 and 14,000 bears. Pocahontas has consistently ranked among the top counties for bear harvest in recent years, alongside Randolph, Nicholas, Boone and Fayette. This is a clear reflection of how the bear population thrives in the habitats that the county’s forests provide.
Colin Carpenter, black bear project leader for the state Division of Natural Resources, has said the recent flood of bear sightings on social media and home security cameras doesn’t necessarily mean bears are suddenly more numerous. Ra-ther, far more residents now carry cameras and post to neighborhood apps than in years past, so encounters that once went unwitnessed are now documented and shared. Bear sightings have, in fact, been climbing for years – not appearing overnight.
Summer is also genuinely one of the most active times in a bear’s yearly cycle. Adult males range widely searching for mates, while females push out the cubs they raised the previous year, sending newly independent cubs wandering through unfamiliar territory – often closer to homes and roads than mother bears would normally allow. Most nuisance complaints from this kind of activity occur between May and August.
Wildlife officials continue to recommend the basics for staying bear-safe: securing trash and pet food, taking down bird feeders during summer months (this helps with racoons, too) never intentionally feeding bears, and ensuring that any bear encountered is given plenty of space and a clear escape route.
Because West Virginia’s bear population is now healthy and widespread across the state, relocating nuisance bears is no longer considered effective, which makes prevention – removing the food sources that draw bears in the first place – the most important tool residents have.
Pocahontas County falls within the state’s regulated bear hunting season each fall, which biologists say remains the primary tool for managing bear numbers as the population continues to expand into new areas.
Remember, they’re not as friendly as Yogi and Boo Boo, so if you encounter a bear because you left your pic-i-nic basket out, it’s best to leave them be, with a quick: “Hey bear!” to warn them off.
Stay safe, and let’s thrive with our oversized forest friends!
