Many viewers have been sending us bear videos in recent weeks, and this time of year, bear sightings are common.
Last night, a bear was seen again in the Caughlin Ranch area.
Folks with the Nevada Department of Wildlife say bears can spend up to 20 hours a day looking for food to prepare themselves for hibernation.
They say it’s common to see bears in both south Reno and near Damonte Ranch.
Kenzie Margiott, the Public Information Officer for NDOW, says, “Not terribly common, but not unheard of due to the proximity to the Virginia Range and surrounding mountain ranges as well. These bears will follow trails of water, or they follow their scent, and whatever brings them to the best source of food, they'll follow their noses.”
NDOW suggests that people don't leave anything out overnight that could send a scent to bears, leading them into your neighborhood.
Even leaving out trash bins all night can be the reason bears come looking for food near houses.
Margiott said, “If you're feeding your pets outside, make sure you're bringing in all the scraps you're cleaning up, the remnants of pet food. Bring those pet bowls inside. If you're feeding the birds, bring those bird feeders. Bring those hummingbird feeders inside. If you're grilling outside, clean the grill. Just do anything you can to eliminate something that might be enticing to a bear.”
Folks we spoke to say that although they haven't seen a bear themselves, they still take precautions since bears have been seen before in their neighborhood.
Christine Morton, a Damonte Ranch resident, told us, "If I have room in my freezer, if there's anything that's going to be like a strong scent, I'll freeze that before, and then I put it in the trash."
NDOW says it's important to be familiar with wildlife living nearby because those animals can be unpredictable.
"If you're a parent at home and you're watching this, please educate your child because there are so many, you know, species of wildlife that you can encounter on a daily basis, from mountain lions to coyotes to birds to everything in between. So yes, do your part to keep wildlife wild, educate your kids, educate yourself," Margiott told us.
Although they may look brown, American black bears are the only ones we have here in northern Nevada.
If you see one, it's best to make loud noises and back away so the bear can go a different direction.
