Black Bear Information

Living in Bear Country by NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife

Black bears are NOT common at Camp Wyanokie, but ANY food or trash left at or near your campsite WILL ATTRACT BEAR. Never feed bears, never approach bears, never stop to take photos or videos of bears. Please be sure to put all food and trash in your trunk, or in plastic bags or sealed containers AT LEAST 50 feet way from your campsite. Also, you MUST pack up and take home all trash. Black bears are large, powerful wild animals and should be treated with respect.  Be alert at all times in areas where bears are active.  DO NOT approach any bear in the wild.

WHAT TO DO IF A BEAR COMES NEAR YOU

If you do encounter a bear, REMAIN CALM and remember that the bear is likely more scared of you than you are of him. Attacks by black bears on people are very rare and most black bears can be easily scared away with the following approach:

Remain calm. If you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright, avoid direct eye contact, back up slowly and speak in a calm, assertive, and assuring voice. Do NOT run.

Make the bear aware of your presence by making noise. Start by talking loud, clapping, rattling branches, stomping on the ground. This should make them go away. If not, make your noise louder and more aggressive.

If the bear continues to approach you, yell, bang pots and pans, or use an airhorn to scare the bear away.  Note that the bear may utter a series of huffs, snap (pop) its jaws, and swat the ground. These are all warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away.

If the bear will not leave, move to your car or a building, if available.

Notify proper authorities immediately by calling 911 if you encounter an aggressive or non-yielding bear.