Black Bear Caught on Camera Near SW Missouri Neighborhood

If you live in the southern half of Missouri, you live in bear country whether you realize it or not. There's a new report of one of these apex predators who was spotted clawing a tree near a small town in the southwestern part of the state.

I saw this new share this weekend on the Love My OZARKS Facebook group. The post simply said "Rogersville" and showed a curious black bear clawing an unlucky tree. You can see the picture shared by Amanda Ashley Shone here. If you're not familiar with where Rogersville is, it's located to the east of the Springfield, Missouri area. Based on the comments, the bear was spotted near the Anchor Hill Ranch area.

One of the most-liked comments on the bear post on the Love My OZARKS Facebook group was this one by Terry Jo. Well played.

The good news is bears are rarely aggressive and will avoid human contact if possible. The bad news is they seek out food sources so if you have pet or bird food outside, you may have an unwelcome visitor or visitors plural. The appetite of cartoon bears is an accurate depiction of real ones which is why it's important to make sure you bear-proof your property if you live in this part of Missouri.