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Teenagers spot bear near Lebanon

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By Justin McClelland, Staff Writers Updated 5:02 PM Thursday, July 2, 2009

The young black bear spotted over the past month in Warren County is headed southeast through neighboring Clinton County, state wildlife officials said on Thursday, July 2.

“He’s been through Clarksville (on the Warren-Clinton county border). This morning he was sighted between New Vienna and Lynchburg,” said Brett Beatty, assistant wildlife management supervisor for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.

While suspecting the bear is headed away from Warren County, Beatty wasn’t ready to say the area had seen the last of animal, believed to be a two-year-old male looking for a home range.

“It seems like it. You never know,” Beatty said. “He may be done with his wanderings.”

Residents reported several sightings — one captured on video — in June in the area between Waynesville and Springboro in northern Warren County. The latest spotting was east of Lebanon.

Jonathan Stevens, 16, of Turtlecreek Twp. said he and his friend Riley Hensley said they were riding their bikes late Monday, June 29 along South Waynesville Road near Ohio 350 in Turtlecreek Twp. when they spotted the bear in a field near a patch of woods.

“It stood on its hind legs,” said Stevens, who estimated the bear was around 6 feet tall. “My friend hollered that it was a bear.”

Stevens said he and his friend threw their bikes down and jumped into a ditch on the side of the road where they saw the bear leave. They then retrieved their bikes and rode to Stevens house.

“There are only 30 to 50 black bears in the state of Ohio,” said Trent Weaver, an ODNR officer .“They usually come over from West Virginia, where there is a good bear population.”

Weaver said there are no plans to trap or capture the bear.

“Unless the bear causes property damage or personal injury, we don’t necessarily have to track it or catch it,” Weaver said.

If residents spot the bear, Weaver said people should not approach it because it could feel threatened. Generally standing still or making loud noises will cause the bear to leave.

Larry Budd contributed to this story

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This bear was spotted right in front of our farm on Waynesville Road!
The boys thought it was a deer until it stood up. Then it went into our back field and disappeared.

Satch
1:51 PM, 7/9/2009

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OK, Pulse Journal reporters, go out and get that video mentioned in this article. NOW! please.

Donna
7:04 PM, 7/3/2009

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