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Spotlight Alert Top Story

14 tips to stay safe as bears become more active in Arizona

Pascal Albright Arizona Daily Star

Pascal Albright
Features Reporter
May 10, 2023
May 10, 2023 Updated Jun 21, 2023

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has started to receive its first confirmed reports of bear sightings this year as the weather gets warmer.

Here are some tips they recommend to stay safe:

Keeping bears away from your home

Updated May 10, 2023

Bear Oro valley — Courtesy of Arizona Game and Fish Department

1. Take outdoor bird feeders down at night.

2. Keep all trash in a secured location until your trash is collected. If that’s not possible, keep your food waste in a bag in the freezer until pick-up day.

3. Don't leave uneaten pet or livestock food out for extended periods of time.

Keeping bears away while camping

Updated May 10, 2023

Patagonia Lake State Park (copy) — Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star

1. Don't burn food scraps or trash at your grill or campfire.

2. Keep food and other animal attractants secured and out of reach of bears. Do not keep food inside your tent.

3. Set up your campsite away from wet places where bears often search for food, such as creeks and rivers.

Tips when hiking

Updated May 10, 2023

Sky Island Alliance recorded a family of bears strolling through the western foothills of the Huachuca Mountains southwest of Sierra Vista on one of its Border Wildlife Study cameras.

Courtesy of Sky Island Alliance

1. Make noise while you hike or hike in groups.

2. Don’t wear strongly-scented lotions, deodorant, body sprays or perfumes.

3. Always keep your pet on a leash when taking them on a hike.

What do to if you encounter a bear

Updated May 10, 2023

In a video captured by AZGFD, a bear can be seen foraging for acorns or pecans.
Courtesy of the Arizona Game and Fish Department

1. Do not run, that could cause the bear to chase you.

2. If attacked, do not play dead. Fight back instead.

4. Attempt to deter the bear, then back away slowly facing forward if the bear keeps approaching.

5. Make yourself look as big as possible by raising your arms or pulling your shirt or jacket higher than your head.

6. Throw items such as rocks or sticks and yell at the bear.

Pascal Albright

Features Reporter