Cumming Residents Urged To Be 'BearWise' After Bear Sightings

GEORGIA — Authorities in Forsyth County are warning residents about bear sightings after receiving several reports in the area of Majors and Post roads.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office sent the warning Thursday via a Facebook post. Authorities did not specifically say what type of bears were spotted but shared a May 2021 post from the Department of Natural Resources about how to avoid encounters with black bears.

BearWise, a program the DNR said was established by bear biologists from each of the 15 state wildlife agencies that comprise the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, offers six safety tips on its website.

Here are the six at-home BearWise Basics:

• Never feed or approach bears.
• Secure food, garbage and recycling.
• Remove bird feeders when bears are active.
• Never leave pet food outdoors.
• Clean and store grills and smokers.
• Alert neighbors to bear activity.