The Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment noticed more bear sightings in the spring than previous years, and that trend could continue into the summer months (Facebook/Government of Saskatchewan).

By Aaron Schulze

Bear Season

Ministry of Environment warns of increased bear sightings in the northeast

Jun 29, 2019 | 12:00 PM

The summer months have arrived in Northeast Saskatchewan, which means black bears and other large predators have followed suit.

Over the spring, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment have noticed an increased sighting of bears in areas as small as White Fox and as large as Melfort.

Daryl Minter, a veteran sergeant in the Conservation Officer Service of the Ministry of Environment, said it’s normal behaviour for wildlife to enter communities, although it does cause challenges for humans.

“It’s not uncommon for black bears and other predators, especially the young ones, to be moving around to establish new territory and look for food,” Minter said. “They haven’t been causing too much problem, but we have put out some traps and have been successful in capturing some and relocating them.”

Because bears are intelligent animals and are ruled by their stomachs, northeast residents are encouraged not to leave garbage, pet food, or seeds laying around and easily accessible. Minter said bears will leave an area if they can’t find food.

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Most of the time, bears are just passing through communities and won’t charge or chase humans.

However, Minter said bears are cautious around humans and can sometimes be unpredictable. His tips on what someone who crosses paths with a bear should do to avoid confrontation include:

• keeping distance between themselves and the bear
• not attempting to scare it away
• staying calm and not attempting to outrun it
• making a wide detour, calmly back away, and speaking in low tone
• not looking directly at the bear as it might take it as a challenge
• never feeding or approaching a bear and its cubs
• if possible, moving towards a tree or rock that that can provide some protection
• dropping an article of clothing to distract it as a last resort

Minter said if a bear starts swinging its head from left to right, and popping its jowls, then people nearby need to increase their distance as soon as possible as those are signs a bear is about to charge.

Anyone who is found in a dangerous situation with a bear or other large predator is encouraged to call Saskatchewan’s 24/7 Turn in Poachers line at 1-800-667-7561.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow