Bear Creates Stir in S. P.

Bear in tree on Ashe Street in Southern Pines. Photo by Tim Sayer

As of Thursday, July 7, 2011

At first glance, Bailey Vaughan thought the animal lurking on his property was a large dog.

It was just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Vaughan and his children - Emerson, 2, and Lilly, 8 months - were in the backyard of Vaughan's home on Ridge Street near New York Avenue when he spotted something on his property on the other side of his fence.

"I looked at it, and it looked at me, and I thought, 'My gosh, it's a freaking bear,''' he said.

Vaughan hustled his children into the house, and in the commotion, he thinks he spooked the bear, which ran away.

"It got from my house to May Street in a couple of seconds," he said. "It was fast."

Vaughan said he has lived in Moore County since 1981, and this is the first time he has ever seen a bear roaming loose in Moore County.

"It definitely made for an interesting morning," he said.

Blocks away, Pam Francis was on the front porch of her Ashe Street home looking for her cat, when she spotted the four-legged intruder.

"Police (cars) were going round and round the neighborhood," she said. "I thought a store got robbed, because that's happened before, and then a bear walks across the neighbor's lot."

The bear eventually climbed a tree on Ashe Street, on property owned by Carey and Lisa Tilson, and remained there for about five hours. Those who saw the bear estimated it to weigh between 200 and 400 pounds.

"It was big," Francis' son, Matthew, said. "I've been bear hunting, and I have never seen a bear that big."

Southern Pines police officers reportedly responded to a bear sighting a few weeks ago but didn't find the animal.

As word of the bear spread, a small crowd gathered on Ashe Street, forcing police to close the street and disperse the crowd.

"It was a constant flow of cars, onlookers and photographers," Pam Francis said.

The Francises said the bear vacated its perch about 3:30 p.m.

"It was an hour and a half before dusk when it moseyed down the tree, got a drink from the water we left it and then wandered off," Matthew Francis said.

Sgt. Mark Dutton, of the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission, said his office has received several reports of bear sightings in the last few weeks.

"This is typically the time of year that young bears move through the area," Dutton said. "They are not going to stay."

Dutton said anyone who sees a bear is asked to call the authorities.

Residents are encouraged to stay away from bears and not to feed them. Trash cans placed outside or in open areas should be secured.

Dutton also advised that residents not leave food out for pets or other wild animals.

This is not the first time a bear has been sighted in Moore County.

In August 2007, three sightings were reported. The first was Aug. 12 at Reservoir Park in Southern Pines, followed two days later by one near the Pinehurst Resort Beach Club.

On Aug. 17, a motion-detecting camera in Jackson Springs photographed a black bear that matched the description of the one involved in previous incidents.

In June 2008, a black bear was seen five times in one day in the Pinehurst area. A week later, a black bear was reported rummaging through a Dumpster at Sandhills Cinema in Southern Pines.

For Pam Francis, one sighting was plenty.

"I avoid camping because I'm scared of bears, and then one walks down the street," Francis said. "It freaked me out."

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.

More like this story

MLD206 1 year, 10 months ago

There have been multiple bear sightings in the county in the past few weeks, as well as surrounding counties. A reminder to people that this is the time when young bear travel to find new territory and they are on the lookout for food while they are traveling. So please keep your trash, pet food, and table scraps put away. Black bear are not typically aggressive towards people and are only looking for a way through, so make sure to give them plenty of space and freedom to pass through and do not chase or harrass them as this will only send them to a safe haven such as a tree. We do not have an established breedable population in this area and the bears should only be moving through and not settling down. Please contact NC Wildlife Resources Commission Law Enforcement Division at 800-662-7137 with bear sightings in your area.

CADGR 1 year, 10 months ago

If a crowd was gathering to look at this 300lb bear, why weren't officials called to tranquilize and remove it from the area. Everyone thinks it cute today, but what if a kid is injured or even killed? Totally irresponsible!!

MLD206 1 year, 10 months ago

It is not the policy of the NCWRC to tranquilize and remove bear just because they are near residences. We have black bear inhabiting a large portion of the state east and west in which they have natural habitat near where people reside, and have been for a long time. This bear would not have ended up where it did had it not been chased and corralled from where it was first spotted, which was near Fort Bragg reservation. Bear are not typically aggressive towards humans and are just passing through. The best practice is to leave them be just like every other wild animal living near humans. If the bear was staying in the area and a nuisance then it may be a consideration.

mymindwanders 1 year, 10 months ago

Could it be that this is a small community & the paper wanted to make sure families affected had all recieved notice?

Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago

That bear is a danger to the community and should have been shot. The meat could have used to feed the poor and the fur made into a nice rug (it has a really beautiful coat).

MLD206 1 year, 10 months ago

Plese see response above regarding this comment. Thank you.

keke 1 year, 10 months ago

Wow, really?

Cosmo4slice 1 year, 10 months ago

I live next to Fort Bragg and my wife has seen Bears before. Leave it alone. Black Bears are beautiful creatures. It's a Black Bear not a Grizzly or Kodiak Bear, and hasn't been agressive, so how can it danger to the Community. Only Yahoo's, want to kill someting for procieved danger or fear. How many good snakes get terminated each year, because a bunch of people lump all snakes into one catagory. Live in harmony with nature, not at war with it!!!!!!!

1starmum 1 year, 10 months ago

If any body's pets come up missing........Perhaps it was ther bear.

Cosmo4slice 1 year, 10 months ago

Educate yourself about the Black Bears in North Carolina.

http://www.ncwildlife.org/wildlife_species_con/Profiles_new/BlackBear.pdf

Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago

The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter. They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge. Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away. It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat. Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

Signed a racist Republican

bigD 1 year, 10 months ago

What a Wingnut!

Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7 foot grizzly charge towards him.

He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.

At that instant the Atheist cried out: “Oh my God!…” Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky: “You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don’t exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?”

The atheist looked directly into the light, “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps could you make the BEAR a Christian?”

“Very well,” said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together and bowed his head and spoke:

“Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord Amen.”

wrich49 1 year, 10 months ago

that's funny!

Cosmo4slice 1 year, 10 months ago

Hello. We live in North Carolina, not the Rocky Montains or the Kenai Alaska.

Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago

It's a bear story & these were bear jokes, eventhough you live in NC doesn't mean you can't enjoy a bear joke (good or bad) - your reasoning is bearly reasonable.

Courseaire 1 year, 10 months ago

How about lions & tigers,oh my?

Scoot 1 year, 10 months ago

Geez............it was just a bear. People are so narrow minded. Complain about the Pilot its a local small town newspaper not the New York Times. Perhaps if the paper doesn't satisfy you and now the bears are moving to close you should consider a change of address and Oh please don't leave a forwarding address!

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