Aug. 21, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
Biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) have confirmed several sightings of a black bear in Cherokee, Anderson, Panola and Rusk Counties.
Black bears are native to Texas and part of the state’s natural heritage and ecosystem. They are designated as a threatened species in Texas, so it is illegal to kill, injure, take, possess, capture, or transport a black bear. Please note there are severe penalties for killing a black bear in East Texas. These penalties can include a combination of fines and jail time, including civil restitution penalties exceeding $12,000.
There are no resident populations of black bears in East Texas, and TPWD has not and does not stock bears in East Texas. However, all of our neighboring states have established breeding populations of bears. This time of year, young bears are leaving their mothers and may end up in unusual places.
Black bears are guided by an excellent sense of smell, and their behavior is driven largely by appetite. Bears are not normally aggressive and should be left alone. If you see a bear, remain calm, stay far away, do not run, and never attempt to feed or restrain it. Bears will typically move on if they are given space and if nearby attractants are secured, such as garbage, pet food, bird feeders, and deer feeders. For more information on securing attractants, visit BearWise.org.
Please report sightings to your local TPWD biologist or your local Texas Game Warden. Documented sightings help TPWD track bear activity and biologists can provide technical help on ways to secure attractants. Residents can find a local biologist at https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/habitat-management/find-a-wildlife-biologist/
Bear Resources:
BearWise helps people live responsibly with bears
Bear Encounters — How to behave if you see a bear
Video on securing deer feeders from bears
Author: TOR Poobah
Original Source: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20250821a
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