Bear Spotted in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, But He Won’t Hurt You

Bears are normally seen in Missouri south of I-44. This new sighting is an exception. A confirmed black bear report has now been shared from Pleasant Hill, Missouri, but we're told that he probably won't hurt you. Maybe.

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Let me be clear. Bears CAN hurt you, but they really aren't normally interested in humans. As long as you behave correctly, you're likely safe. More on that later.

I first saw this report from KZRG. They say that the Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed a bear sighting further north than is normal. It's in Pleasant, Hill, Missouri which is not that far from Kansas City. I was able to confirm this report also from the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Facebook page.

The Missouri Department of Conservation coincidentally shared a helpful "what to do if you run into a bear" video at around the same time as the sighting in Pleasant Hill. It's serendipity in a bear kind of way.

As we shared recently, the bear population is moving northward and now includes part of the remote areas of St. Louis. That's why it's a good idea to assume you're in bear country anytime you're in the woods meaning to make sure you don't leave food laying around. If you happen to run into one of these big predators, you don't want to panic. Bears are herbivores and normally don't have any interest in people. The Missouri Department of Conservation gives good advice if you run into a bear saying:

• Allow the bear room to get away from you
• Let the bear know you're there then slowly back away
• Never turn your back and never run

As long as you don't provoke or alarm the bear, you likely won't have any problems. Bears are now becoming a regular part of Missouri. Best to learn how to coexist with them.