On June 12, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife biologists confirmed the presence of a wild black bear in northern Indiana.

The DNR received reliable reports of the wandering bear northwest of South Bend in St. Joseph County, and made the confirmation after wildlife biologist Budd Veverka examined waste material submitted to the DNR and identified it as bear scat. (For readers not up to speed on their outdoor terminology, "scat" is the professional term used for what most people refer to as poop.)

In other words, the thing bears do in the woods … well, this one did in a guy’s driveway, and it was submitted for examination. I guess bears don’t always use the woods.

Can you imagine? "I didn’t get a picture of the bear, but I got this – and I submit it as Exhibit A."

It seems Indiana officials were expecting a bear. "With black bears in some surrounding states, we were expecting a bear to show up eventually," said Mitch Marcus, Wildlife Section chief for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. "It’s quite unusual and exciting for a Michigan lakeshore black bear to move this far south.

"Michigan DNR officials told us this is the southernmost black bear movement in more than a decade."

Although there have been occasional unconfirmed reports of bears in Indiana, this is the first verified presence of a bear in the state in more than 140 years.

Young black bears are known to disperse in the springtime as they seek new territory in which to settle.

"Indiana does not have a breeding population of black bears, and we expect this one to turn back north eventually," Marcus said at the time.

As European settlers began arriving in the 1700s in what is now Indiana, black bears were found throughout the territory. Loss of habitat and demand for furs of all sorts led to the bears’ demise.

Shipment records of Vincennes fur trader Francis Vigo from 1777-87 include 2,669 bear hides. The Ewing family, which operated out of Fort Wayne and Logansport in the early 1800s, shipped 2,623 bear hides from 1836-41.

According to the book Mammals of Indiana by John O. Whitaker Jr. and Russell E. Mumford, the last confirmed report of a resident wild black bear in Indiana was 1850. Whitaker and Mumford report a bear sighting in northwestern Indiana in 1871, but note it was forced south from Michigan to escape a series of fires known historically as the Great Michigan Fire.

Black bears are now listed as an exotic mammal and protected under Indiana Administrative Code 312 9-3-18.5 (b-1), which prohibits the killing of a black bear except by a resident landowner or tenant while the animal is "destroying or causing substantial damage to property owned or leased by the landowner or tenant."

Michigan DNR estimates a population of 15,000-19,000 black bears in the state, with 90 percent living in the Upper Peninsula. Black bears also have recolonized in the eastern portions of Kentucky and Ohio.

It seems our visiting black bear seems to be enjoying traveling the state of Indiana.

DNR officials had reported the bear continued on a westward path in northern Indiana, headed in the direction of Michigan City.

The DNR’s report was based on sightings and evidence collected. I assume the evidence is of the same type collected when the bear was first discovered in the state.

It seems there were tracks discovered, as well.

"Definitely a bear track," DNR wildlife biologist Budd Veverka said, after examining photographs of paw prints found near Springville, a small community just north of the Indiana toll road in LaPorte County. "No doubt. And it (the bear) continues to follow the predicted path based on the terrain."

Sounds to me like the bear might be headed for the casinos!

The black bear, a young male, first entered Indiana in St. Joseph County after its movements were tracked from near Muskegon by Michigan DNR officials.

A scat pile it left in a resident’s driveway just north of South Bend was the evidence DNR needed to confirm the presence of a wild bear in Indiana for the first time since 1871.

At press time, officials from the Indiana DNR and Michigan DNR were working together to track the bear’s movements (keeping in mind by the time this column is published, the latest news may have changed). Indiana DNR encourages citizens to report sightings of the bear to dfwinput@dnr.IN.gov or by calling 812-334-1137 during normal business hours, or by calling DNR Law Enforcement Central Dispatch, 812-837-9536, anytime. Photos or videos can be sent to the above email address.

Black bears are shy by nature and tend to avoid human contact. Attacks are rare. Black bears are non-aggressive in most instances and prefer fleeing from humans when given the chance. DNR wildlife biologists offer the following bear awareness tips:

•Don’t intentionally feed bears. If a bear becomes accustomed to finding food near your home, it may become a "problem" bear.

•Eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed.

•Clean and store grills away after use.

•Don’t leave pet food outside overnight.

•Remove bird feeders and bird food from late March through November.

•Don’t add meat or sweets to a compost pile.

•If encountering a bear, don’t run. Shout, wave your arms and back away slowly.

Who knows? Maybe the wandering black bear rolled into Indiana for the birthday party. It is coincidental, as several of our state properties were celebrating Smoky the Bear’s birthday on June 18.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.