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Black bear pays Johns Creek woman a visit
A Johns Creek woman was shocked to see a black bear on her porch first thing this morning. This is just the latest in a number of bear sightings in the area within the last few days.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - A Johns Creek woman was shocked to see a black bear on her porch first thing Monday morning. It's the latest in a number of bear sightings in the area in recent days.
"I didn't know what to do I was scared I really was," Sue Kobus said.
Kobus couldn't believe it when she saw a black bear outside her Johns Creek home early Monday morning.
"I've seen raccoons, and possums, and skunks, coyotes, foxes, but never a bear," she said.
Her Ring camera captured the bear heading towards some cat food stored outside.
This comes after Johns Creek Police shared a photo of a bear spotted in a neighborhood on Friday. Roswell Police shared photos of a sighting in their area last week.
"This is the time of year when young male bears are getting kicked out of their home range front by their mom, and trying to find new territory," Kaitlin Goode, Urban Wildlife Program Manager with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, said.
Goode said neighborhoods can provide good food sources for bears on the move.
"Take down your bird feeders, bring pet food in, secure your garbage, doing those three things, at a minimum, is going to be the best thing you can do to keep bears out of your neighborhood," Goode said.
She said they don't have plans to interfere with the bears as it's best to let them move on their own.
"Typically by June, they've either figured out this is a bad place for them, and have moved on, hopefully back north where they came from," Goode explained.
However, for those who do spot one in the area, there are important steps to take.
"We don't want the bears feeling comfortable in our neighborhoods close to us, so once you're in a safe spot, whether it's a doorway, or inside a car, you want to yell at the bear, and scare it away," Goode added.
Goode also encourages anyone who sees a black bear to contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources so they can keep track of where the bears are.