Updated Connecticut Bear Sightings for Newtown

NEWTOWN, CT — The black bears may be thinking real hard about settling down for a long winter's nap, but plenty are still more interested in exploring your backyard.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection do their best to track Yogi's meanderings, and publish updates regularly.

DEEP warns residents to leave a bear alone if you see one in your yard or neighborhood. In most situations, if left alone and given an avenue for escape, the bear will usually wander back into more secluded areas. Keep dogs under control. Stay away from the bear and advise others to do the same. Do not approach the bear so as to take a photo or video. Often a bear will climb a tree to avoid people. A crowd of bystanders will only stress the bear and also add the risk that the bear will be chased into traffic or the crowd of people.

For last season, from Dec. 1, 2017 to Nov. 25, 2018, Simsbury was ahead of the pack with 596 sightings. Newtown residents reported a respectable 229 bear sightings during the same period.

Here's how every other town fared: