# Bears in Southwest Georgia



## Bearhunter06 (Feb 15, 2020)

I hunt bear in Clinch county Georgia and there is a good population in that county. I hear rumors a lot about people seeing bears  in southwest Georgia just wonder if anyone on here has seen a bear in southwest Georgia and if so what county. Just Curious


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## Danuwoa (Feb 15, 2020)

Never heard of it other than them being spotted just moving through.  A guy got one on a trail cam about two miles from me a few years ago.  This was one Schley County.


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## buckpasser (Mar 5, 2020)

From first hand knowledge:  

They move through Brooks county occasionally. I have a strong suspicion we had a drifter this year on the property I manage. I had something with some heavy duty claws rip the bottom of a boss buck feeder off. Some years they are on trail cam. 

Thomas county produced a few sightings in the summers of ‘07 and ‘11 during the bad drought and SE Georgia wildfires. 

For whatever reason north Colquitt county has or at least had (2013-2015) a breeding population. I assume they’re still there. I saw trail cam pics from quite a few landowners when I worked Colquitt and saw plenty of tracks and sign with my own eyes. Several different bears and sows with cubs.


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## Nicodemus (Mar 5, 2020)

Lower Seminole County is starting to get a few. Coming out of the Apalachicola National Forest.


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## 4HAND (Mar 5, 2020)

Several years ago we had a big bear come through the farm we leased in Gadsden Co Fl.


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## kmckinnie (Mar 5, 2020)

4HAND said:


> Several years ago we had a big bear come through the farm we leased in Gadsden Co Fl.


As a kid we had a  Panther show up in that county.


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## 4HAND (Mar 5, 2020)

kmckinnie said:


> As a kid we had a  Panther show up in that county.


What color was it?


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## kmckinnie (Mar 5, 2020)

4HAND said:


> What color was it?


Tan. ?


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## kmckinnie (Mar 5, 2020)

4HAND said:


> What color was it?


I heard it one nite attack a cow. 
Man what a fuss. I’d leave the house at 2am to 4am to go hunt. I’d walk my trails with no light. Hear deer moving. Well one morning he tried to kill a cow. Ran it into a creek and gave it’s all. Figured sence I was poaching there. May aswell shoot and scare the cat off. ?


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## Dog Hunter (Mar 6, 2020)

Passing through Decatur over the years is all I've heard off.


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## Dog Hunter (Mar 6, 2020)

Nicodemus said:


> Lower Seminole County is starting to get a few. Coming out of the Apalachicola National Forest.


 Down below the state park or over toward Reynoldsville/Spring Creek ?


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## Nicodemus (Mar 6, 2020)

Dog Hunter said:


> Down below the state park or over toward Reynoldsville/Spring Creek ?




Both, and I saw one on Silver Lake WMA while turkey hunting back in 2011. That might be in the edge of Decatur County where I was that morning.


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## jimbo4116 (Mar 6, 2020)

There have been bears in Brooks County since the 1990s.  Saw them myself.
Particularly in south Brooks County.  Plenty of sightings and pics around deer feeders on hunt clubs. I have seen trees marked 6 foot up on our place.

One bear was captured in town 5 blocks from Court House.


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## Joe Brandon (Mar 6, 2020)

This isn't South Ga but had a friend who saw one all the way over in Hamilton Ga near Columbus back in the 90's. I guess they get around. Talladega Nation Forest now has a small population of bear per ADCNR .


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## Danuwoa (Mar 6, 2020)

Joe Brandon said:


> This isn't South Ga but had a friend who saw one all the way over in Hamilton Ga near Columbus back in the 90's. I guess they get around. Talladega Nation Forest now has a small population of bear per ADCNR .


I definitely believe they would be around Hamilton, Manchester, Pine Mountain.  Lots of hardwoods and the terrain just looks like something a bear would like.


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## blood on the ground (Mar 6, 2020)

Years (years) ago a bear was killed by a Manchester police officer inside the Manchester City limits. 
I have found a scratching post in a swamp bottom in Talbot co. Around that same time period.


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## Bigbendgyrene (Mar 6, 2020)

Live in Florida pretty much due south of Thomas county and have no shortage that trigger my game cams -- I've had over half-a-dozen different bears captured on camera and say that as I know we've got one big male, a younger male, an old sow, a younger sow, and both sows have had 2 to 3 cubs with them at times.

With fair amount of large tract plantation land between us and Thomas county, have to believe there's at least a few living across the state line.


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## Danuwoa (Mar 6, 2020)

blood on the ground said:


> Years (years) ago a bear was killed by a Manchester police officer inside the Manchester City limits.
> I have found a scratching post in a swamp bottom in Talbot co. Around that same time period.


Man about a month ago I was turkey scouting at Big Lazer Creek WMA and found what you’re describing.  That is in Talbot County of course.  When I saw it I immediately thought bear.  I don’t know what else could have done it.


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## stonecreek (Mar 6, 2020)

One was hit in Marion Co. By a car 2018


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## oldways (Mar 6, 2020)

We have a few pass through Grady County one on River Creek was seen a couple of times. I think most the bears we have passing through are coming out of North Florida National Forests I don't think we have a breeding population around here just the odd one every now and again.


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## 1982ace (Mar 6, 2020)

I saw trail cam pics of the one spotted on river creek. Had a bear hit on 75 by my house in Lowndes County several years ago. A few years back had a 55 gallon hanging feeder tore up. It was about 7 ft off the ground and ripped the motor off the bottom. Just occasional bear though, not  frequently


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## blood on the ground (Mar 6, 2020)

We also had bear from time to time in Washington co.


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## oldguy (Mar 8, 2020)

1982ace said:


> I saw trail cam pics of the one spotted on river creek. Had a bear hit on 75 by my house in Lowndes County several years ago. A few years back had a 55 gallon hanging feeder tore up. It was about 7 ft off the ground and ripped the motor off the bottom. Just occasional bear though, not  frequently


That sounds more like 'OL BIG FOOTS"!


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## Gaswamp (Mar 8, 2020)

Crisp and Dooly occasionally


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## blakely (Mar 8, 2020)

Buddy of mine showed me a pic of a bear from his trail cam. He hunts somewhere between Ft Gaines and Cuthbert. He didn't tell me exactly where the pic was taken.


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## oldguy (Mar 9, 2020)

Haven't seen them but folks tell me of trail cam pics of bar in Baker County. I'd like to see one just to know we had 'em.


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## Bearhunter06 (Mar 10, 2020)

i have heard of people seeing bear in Miller and Baker counties. But no pictures. Heard some hog hunters had a video of one they treed with hog dogs in Baker county but could not find out who had the video. A friend told me he seen one cross the road in Miller county and he is a credible person.


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