Sunapee warns Georges Mills residents after black bear sightings

Residents in Georges Mills were told to treat recent black bear sightings as a household safety issue first. The Sunapee Police Department said on June 9 that bears had been reported in and around residential neighborhoods, and urged people to cut off the easy food sources that draw wildlife close to homes.

The town said black bears are a normal and important part of New Hampshire’s wildlife, and most are shy and usually avoid people. Even so, the alert explained why sightings rise in spring and summer: bears become more active and look for accessible food around homes, where trash, bird feeders, grills and pet food can quickly turn a quiet street into an attractant.

The guidance was direct. Residents were told to secure garbage in a garage, shed or other enclosed area until disposal, remove bird feeders when bears are active, clean grills after use, bring pet food indoors and keep compost piles free of attractants such as meat and sweet foods. The town also reminded people never to feed bears intentionally, since feeding is illegal in New Hampshire and can make future human-bear encounters more dangerous.

If a bear is seen, the advice is to stay calm, give the animal plenty of space and avoid approaching or interacting with it. Pet owners were told to keep animals close. If a bear becomes a nuisance, residents were directed to contact New Hampshire Fish and Game dispatch.

State wildlife officials say the risk grows when people ignore the basics. New Hampshire Fish and Game estimates the state’s black bear population at about 5,600, with regional densities averaging about 0.6 bears per square mile. The agency says black bears have recovered from record low numbers in the mid-1800s and now occur statewide.

Fish and Game also says bird feeders should be taken down by April 1 and kept down until late fall, and garbage should be secured indoors or in airtight containers. The agency warns that feeding bears, whether intentional or through poor food storage, can increase property damage and human-bear conflicts. In some cases, if an attractant is not removed after a Conservation Officer’s request, the person responsible can be fined.