Bear on the Loose Near Lake St. Louis Walmart

You never know what you might see when you visit a Missouri Walmart and that's never been more true than today as a black bear was last spotted near a Lake St. Louis store.

I was stunned to see this status update by the St. Charles County Public Health Department today on their Facebook page. It's bears gone wild.

But, wait, haven't there been bear sightings across the river in southern Illinois, too?

Yes, just earlier today there were multiple reports of black bears in St. Clair County, Illinois. Unless there are bears crossing Mississippi River bridges, this is not the same bear or bears.

If you live in the St. Louis area, assume that you now live in bear country

We were warned by the Missouri Department of Conservation that bears were migrating toward the northeast from southern Missouri and were now approaching even the metro St. Louis area, but this is crazy. The reality of living in bear country even in the city means you need to not leave food sources outside and make sure your pets are not left outside alone as St. Charles County warned in their Facebook post.

It's just a matter of time before videos are captured of this black bear on the loose in the St. Louis area, but make sure you don't risk your life to get it. If you see a bear, leave it alone and give it space with room to escape. Most bears will avoid human contact unless they feel cornered and/or threatened. A human confrontation wouldn't end well for the bear either.