A Black Bear and her three cubs ran up into a tree on Main Street in Old Forge.

We spoke with DEC and asked if there was an increase in the Black Bear population. They said they didn't necessarily think so. "The Black Bear is on the move looking for better food. When it's extremely dry like this, plants, grass, berries, don't taste as good as they should. This is when bears sometimes end up at campgrounds, your back yard with the bird feeder, or on Main St. in Old Forge."

The DEC said 3 cubs were spooked on Main Street in Old Forge and ran up a tree as the mother followed. Given the location, that's really not uncommon. There was a bear around in Macy and also Deerfield. A cub was spotted running across the street in Utica not long ago.

Here are some tips provided by the DEC to deter human and bear interactions that are dangerous for all involved. Bears learn from experience, and if an activity results in food, they’ll repeat that action. If an encounter with a human is contrary, they’ll avoid them, but if bears learn to obtain food from humans, they can become bold and aggressive. Remember feeding Black Bears is prohibited in New York.


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