LOCAL Bear Sightings This Weekend in Murfreesboro and Smyrna

(RUTHERFORD COUNTY) Reports indicate there have possibly been two black bear sightings in Rutherford County.

The first bear sighting was reported Friday (4/16/2023), during the day - in the Green Tree area near Rock Springs Rd in Smyrna.
One person said they spotted a black bear shortly before 4:00 AM on Saturday (4/17/2023) and shared a photo allegedly from their RING security camera.
Another resident say their bear sighting was just before noon in the Florence Road area.
Around 4:00 PM on Saturday afternoon, WGNS was told about a bear in the area of Joe B. Jackson Parkway.
The TWRA did confirm that a bear was hit by a vehicle in the Nashville area.

TWRA is tracking the bear through citizen observation and notification. The bear is believed to be moving south. Contact TWRA with questions at 615-781-6500.

Please e-mail your BEAR PHOTOS to WGNS: news@wgnsradio.com

Bear Sightings Moving Geographically

On June 7, 2023 there were black bear sightings in the Lewisburg area (Marshall County). It appears the bear traveled north into Maury County (Columbia and Spring Hill). The reports then moved to Williamson County (Thompson Station and Brentwood) and then to Metro Nashville with Davidson counties sightings in the Harding Mall area.

TWRA’s website says, “Black bears roamed all of Tennessee at one time. After European settlement, the numbers started dropping.

Thanks to conservation and management efforts from all the Southeast states involved with the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA), black bears are making a dramatic comeback in the Southeast.

As bears expand into areas with suitable habitats, it is important for communities to learn how to coexist with them.

TWRA Warns What To Do If Confronted By A Bear

If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears. Do NOT run, but if the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Bears can run as fast as a racehorse both uphill and down.