Reports of bear sightings took Daviess County by storm over the weekend. To help better visualize where it’s been seen, we created Bear Watch 2024, an interactive map with times, locations, and even a few pictures. If you spot a bear, be sure to leave the details and a photo in the comments.
Click here to access the interactive map.
Reports started rolling in Friday and Saturday that at least one bear had been spotted in southern Daviess County in the general area of Utica. Social media posts by numerous residents continued to back up those reports throughout the weekend.
Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman said Monday that DCSO had been in contact with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife (KYDFW) regarding the local black bear sightings, and said there are no plans to interfere with the bear at this time.
“The bear appears to be passing through the area and has not caused any problems,” Youngman said. “While certainly unusual, this is not the first time this has happened in our county, and as the bear population rebounds this may become more common. While not usually seen in this area, our wooded areas, sources of fresh water, and other terrain are all a supportive habitat for black bears. Therefore, removing the bear is not considered appropriate unless it becomes a nuisance.”
