Community Corner
Simsbury Takes Over As Connecticut Bear Capital
There's a new leader in the clubhouse when it comes to reported black bear sightings in Connecticut.

SIMSBURY, CT — Simsbury has taken over as the black bear capital of Connecticut, according to the latest statistics compiled by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The total number of sightings in Simsbury reported to the DEEP over the past 12 months is 618. That puts the town well ahead of No. 2 Farmington, which had 520 reported sightings.
How much do bears like Simsbury? In May 2018, one decided to get an up-close look at a junior varsity baseball game. A bear emerged from a wooded area in the outfield and forced the outfielders into the infield and then to the dugouts (along with everyone else) for the brief period of time.
Find out what's happening in Simsburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Avon was next at 442, followed in the Top 5 by Torrington (409) and Granby (385).
The latest chart is based on sightings reported between April 19, 2018 and April 14, 2019. Only the towns reporting to the DEEP are listed and here's how they fared:
Find out what's happening in Simsburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Ansonia 5
- Avon 442
- Barkhamsted 141
- Beacon Falls 6
- Berlin 41
- Bethany 43
- Bethel 33
- Bethlehem 54
- Bloomfield 114
- Bozrah 15
- Branford 3
- Bridgeport 1
- Bridgewater 36
- Bristol 237
- Brookfield 166
- Brooklyn 3
- Burlington 292
- Canaan 19
- Canterbury 3
- Canton 242
- Chaplin 1
- Cheshire 56
- Chester 14
- Clinton 5
- Colchester 16
- Colebrook 27
- Columbia 1
- Cornwall 70
- Coventry 2
- Cromwell 13
- Danbury 64
- Derby 4
- Durham 1
- East Granby 76
- East Haddam 8
- East Hampton 7
- East Hartford 10
- East Haven 1
- East Lyme 4
- East Windsor 3
- Eastford 2
- Easton 17
- Ellington 5
- Enfield 2
- Essex 2
- Fairfield 4
- Farmington 520
- Glastonbury 19
- Goshen 94
- Granby 385
- Greenwich 8
- Griswold 1
- Groton 1
- Guilford 32
- Haddam 9
- Hamden 147
- Hampton 3
- Hartford 15
- Hartland 35
- Harwinton 218
- Hebron 2
- Kent 64
- Killingly 4
- Killingworth 29
- Lebanon 4
- Ledyard 1
- Litchfield 234
- Lyme 9
- Madison 66
- Manchester 7
- Mansfield 1
- Marlborough 9
- Meriden 23
- Middlebury 59
- Middletown 7
- Monroe 52
- Montville 9
- Morris 39
- Naugatuck 13
- New Britain 42
- New Fairfield 65
- New Hartford 193
- New Haven 5
- New London 1
- New Milford 261
- Newington 9
- Newtown 189
- Norfolk 31
- North Canaan 13
- North Haven 23
- North Stonington 3
- Norwalk 2
- Norwich 2
- Old Saybrook 2
- Orange 1
- Oxford 91
- Plainville 47
- Plymouth 138
- Pomfret 2
- Portland 17
- Preston 1
- Prospect 11
- Putnam 2
- Redding 117
- Ridgefield 16
- Rocky Hill 2
- Roxbury 59
- Salem 7
- Salisbury 112
- Scotland 1
- Seymour 24
- Sharon 50
- Shelton 10
- Sherman 63
- Simsbury 618
- Somers 3
- South Windsor 12
- Southbury 192
- Southington 100
- Stafford 11
- Stamford 6
- Stratford 1
- Suffield 51
- Thomaston 147
- Thompson 11
- Tolland 11
- Torrington 409
- Trumbull 7
- Union 4
- Vernon 2
- Voluntown 1
- Wallingford 11
- Warren 34
- Washington 46
- Waterbury 81
- Waterford 4
- Watertown 103
- West Hartford 199
- Weston 2
- Westport 1
- Wethersfield 8
- Willington 1
- Wilton 4
- Winchester 195
- Windsor 125
- Windsor Locks 30
- Wolcott 80
- Woodbridge 47
- Woodbury 129
- Woodstock 3
Click here to access the DEEP bear reporting form.
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