TRAVERSE CITY — The southbound traffic at the end of Memorial Day weekend is a testament to the number of Michigan campers and families going on their first post-winter road trip. But black bears are also coming out of hibernation.
Traverse City Police Department Road Patrol Captain Adam Gray said they received multiple calls over the weekend about bear sightings. He did not comment further, because he said the case belongs to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Videos of sightings circulated on social media, and the Traverse Area Recreation Transportation Trails Director of Communications Kate Lewis said she’s had sightings reported to her as well. Bear sightings include several on Monday at the Boardman Lake Trail, outside Grand Traverse Mall and Logan’s Landing; and Tuesday outside Target/ bank parking lot around 12:30 p.m.
“This comes up every single spring,” Lewis said. “We just recommend that folks follow proper trail etiquette and take precautions.”
She recommended staying on the trails, properly disposing of food and using common sense.
Lewis could not confirm if every sighting in the last two days was the same bear but said it’s the first report of the year and the first she’s heard of on the Boardman trail.
“This is the first sighting this year that we have shared on the trail network, but we’re always trying to educate trail users,” Lewis said. “But of course, there’s bears out on the (trail) right now or have been.
“We just maybe haven’t heard about then because folks are knowledgeable, and they’re not threatened.”
The Michigan DNR has several safety tips for campers and hikers:
Never intentionally feed a bearMinimize food odors and wasteKeep food and toiletries outside tentsCarry bear spray
“I don’t think this sighting should incite fear in anybody by any means,” Lewis said. “I think it’s kind of exciting and hopefully the bear gets back to where it needs to go and it’s just one of those springtime things.”