Category: black bears

Posted: Sunday, June 6, 2010 1:05 am
By Andy Augenbaugh, Times Outdoors Writer

Possibly for the first time in almost a hundred years a black bear has been seen in Carroll County. As reported in the Carroll County Times on May 26, a yearling bear was seen in the Union Mills and Westminster area.

History of Maryland black bears

When settlers arrived in Carroll County, black bears roamed statewide across Maryland. However, by the late 1800s and early 1900s, the black bear population had dropped dramatically. Settlers cleared the landscape for agriculture, industry, and timber production, resulting in most of Maryland’s suitable black bear habitat being lost. Settlers feared black bears and they killed them whenever a bear was encountered. This indiscriminate killing, combined with the large-scale habitat loss and a lack of conservation laws, eliminated black bears from most parts of the state.

According to Md. DNR, by the mid-20th century, black bears could only be found in the rugged mountainous areas in Western Maryland. By the mid- 1950s, only a few bears were estimated to remain in the state. In 1953, the black bear hunting season was closed due to concerns of a dwindling bear population. In 1972, the status of black bears was changed from “forest game animal” to “endangered species” in Maryland.

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Bear Watch

Cumberland Times-News

Large bear killed near Friendsville makes 47 dead on state’s roads

On Dec. 24, a 324 pound male black bear was struck and killed on Interstate 68 at mile marker 8 near Friendsville, making it the 47th bruin to die on Maryland highways in 2009, according to an unofficial count kept by the Cumberland Times-News.

Also on Christmas Eve, a bear was reported to have been struck on Aaron Run Road in the Savage River drainage. A Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service crew was dispatched to the scene and watched as the bear left the area on its own, according to spokesman Harry Spiker.

To report bear incidents in Allegany County, call the Maryland Wildlife Service at (301) 777-2136. In Garrett County, call (301) 334-4255. Outdoor Editor Mike Sawyers may be contacted at (301) 784-2523.

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The number of bears that have died on Maryland highways in 2009 jumped to 32 with the demise of four bruins Oct. 9-13, according to Clarissa Harris of the Maryland Wildlife Service. The Cumberland Times-News count is unofficial.

On Oct. 9, a 101-pound female bear died on Interstate 68 in the Friendsville area.

On Oct. 11, two bears were killed, a 148-pound female on I-68 near the Finzel exit in Garrett County and a female of 72 pounds on I-68 near Little Orleans in Allegany County.

Then on Oct. 13, a 338-pound male bear was struck and mangled on state Route 36 at Barton. The bear was eventually put down by Natural Resources Police.

The covers on three operating hot tubs have been ripped open by bears in the Deep Creek Lake area. Harris said she believes the bears become curious about the sound of the motor and the moving water and investigate with their claws.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350