Northfork warns residents after bear spotted near old clinic

A bear spotted near the old clinic in Northfork Holler on the morning of June 16 sent the City of Northfork into alert mode, with officials urging residents to stay cautious and pay close attention to children and pets. The sighting happened close to a known place in town, not out in deep woods, which made it a practical safety concern for people walking, driving or letting animals outside nearby.

The city used a social-media post to tell residents to exercise caution, be aware of their surroundings, keep a close watch on children and pets, and avoid feeding wild animals. That advice fit a simple goal: keep the bear from getting comfortable around homes and keep people from trying to approach, photograph or feed it.

State wildlife officials say bear activity in West Virginia peaks in May and June, when bears emerge from their dens and natural foods can be scarce. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources says residents should secure trash, remove bird feeders and eliminate other food sources that can draw bears into neighborhoods, including pet food, bird seed and food scraps. The agency also says intentionally feeding black bears is illegal in West Virginia.

The risk grows when bears learn that houses and yards offer easy calories. The division says bears that become food-conditioned and habituated to people often have to be humanely killed for public safety, a reminder that a small lapse with trash or pet food can have lasting consequences for the animal and the neighborhood.

West Virginia’s bear population is estimated at nearly 15,000 animals, and bears have been harvested in 53 of the state’s 55 counties in recent years. Hunters took 2,479 black bears in 2024 and 2,469 in 2025, showing that bear activity remains widespread across the state, including in McDowell County communities like Northfork.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says people should never approach a bear and should stay at least 100 yards away. It also says bear sightings, encounters and conflicts should be reported immediately to state or tribal wildlife management agencies, a standard that fits Northfork’s warning as residents head into the season when bears are most likely to move into town.