A black bear, estimated to be a male between 2-3 years old and weighing approximately 180 to 200 pounds, has been photographed by a trail camera near Tushka. Game wardens estimate the same bear is visible in two separate images, one taken on June 23, 2025, and another on June 24, 2025.
The recent sighting highlights a significant comeback for black bears in Oklahoma, a conservation effort that dates back decades. As early as 1951, the Oklahoma Game and Fish Department sought aid from the Washington State Department of Game to restore black bears to their former haunts in southeast Oklahoma.
Plans from that time included shipping one to two dozen bear cubs to Oklahoma in the spring, to be raised by bottle before being released. These bears, considered predatory in Washington, were likely transported by plane and released near Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton and similar areas, with hopes they would establish themselves and become tourist attractions, similar to those in National Parks.
By 1961, black bears were 'coming back' to Oklahoma, prompting warnings from wildlife officials. Claude Goin, chief of the Wildlife Conservation department's enforcement division, issued warnings against organized hunts for bears, emphasizing that bear hunting was illegal in Oklahoma at that time. Goin noted that black bears occasionally seen in eastern Oklahoma are generally harmless and omnivorous and will not attack unless cornered or injured.
Bears seen in areas like Ft. Gibson and Tenkiller in the years leading up to 1961 were believed to have originated from releases made a few years prior in Arkansas. Historical reports from 1961 mentioned bears feeding around garbage dumps, and a Mrs. T.Z. Mize reported seeing a 350-pound bear near her Ft. Gibson farm. The previous year, a bear killing was reported in the area, and another bear was captured near Ada and turned over to the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Today, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Department officials remind residents about common human-bear conflicts, which typically begin to increase in May with reports weighted toward young male bears seeking new home ranges. These reports may see a small drop in June and July due to abundant natural food sources like blueberries and blackberries but often rise again in August as soft mast diminishes.
Bears are most likely to risk exploring near residences when attractants such as bird feeders, deer corn feeders, bee apiaries, or pet food are present. They typically first encounter human spaces at night, but if rewarded with food, they can become bolder and visit during the day. Residences surrounded by easy-to-access escape cover, like sparsely populated areas nestled in or adjacent to large timber blocks, are most prone to bear visits.
Safety Tips for Bear Encounters
Upon sighting a bear, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Department advises remaining calm and allowing the bear to move along on its own. If a close-range encounter occurs, experts offer these safety tips:
• Do not turn and run, as this might trigger a chase response.
• Stand and face the bear, making yourself appear as large as possible by holding out your arms or jacket.
• Try to retreat slowly without turning your back or blocking the bear’s escape route.
• If unable to leave, make loud noises like yelling or banging on pots and pans to encourage the bear to flee.
For those whose outdoor activities increase the chance of a bear encounter, carrying bear spray is recommended. In the unlikely event of a charge or attack, aggressively fight back against the bear and do not attempt to 'play dead' during a black bear attack.
Deterring Bears and Reporting Nuisances
To minimize attracting bears, residents should keep garbage in sealed containers and never leave pet food outside. Never feed wild bears. In areas with common bear activity, measures such as rinsing outdoor trash containers with ammonia to eliminate odors, storing cooking grills inside or cleaning them thoroughly after use, and considering taking down backyard bird feeders for summer and early fall can help. Using electric fences, kept at least 50 yards from wooded areas, can protect livestock, poultry, and bee apiaries.
Nuisance bear sightings can be reported to Black Bear Project Leader Wildlife Biologist Matt Hensley or Southeast Wildlife Technicians Aaron Dossey and Tres Phipps. More information can be found in the mammal field guide section of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation website, https:// www. wildlifedepartment. com/wildlife/field-guide.
Bear hunting is allowed only in specific Oklahoma counties, including Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, Pushmataha, and portions of McIntosh, Muskogee, Sequoyah south of Interstate 40; and portions of Atoka, Bryan, McIntosh, and Pittsburg counties east of U.S. Highway 69. Bear hunting season typically occurs in the fall. For more information on big game regulations, visit the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's hunting regulation section on big game.
