The black bears of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Good morning, Richard.... I've heard stories on the news that showed bears in the suburbs of Boston!!!  you can keep those critters in the great smoky mountains....

2 per square mile is a lot of bears, Richard!  There must be plenty for them to eat there.  This year, because of the drought and the fires ( I presume) the only bears I've "seen" have been on TV in the cities. Great capture!

I had no idea that the population density of bears was so great in the Smoky Mountains! Neat photos!

Two bears per square mile really makes the chances of an encounter very likely in the Smoky Mountains.

Good morning Richard. I think bears, black included, are majestic and beautiful but I would rather see them in your pictures than close to my home.

Hmmm! Store up fat, sleep for the winter. I think I'm a black bear.

Richard, I think the last black bear I saw in the wild was in the Smokeys....and it was back in the 70s when my family took a vacation there.

Richard - On a 55 mile hike through the Smokies years ago, we saw lots of bears. They are beautiful to watch as long as there are no cubs around.

Richard, When I was young we would go to the Smokies and see the baby bears. They looked so harmless but we stayed away because Mama Bear was somewhere close by and she was not so harmeless.

I have seen the bears in the Smoky Mountains.  They are fun to watch.

that is a good population.  In my area, the land would not support that many in that area.