Princeton, Indiana Teen Captures Possible Bear Sighting in Snapchat Video

Back in June of 2021, some residents of Warrick and Vanderburgh counties caught video footage of a black bear. Many people thought this was a hoax at first because we don't usually see bears around the Tri-State. Well, it was very real and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed it in a release.

In June 2021, a black bear crossed into Indiana from Illinois. Reports of the bear from private landowners were confirmed in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, Pike, and Daviess counties. The last confirmed sighting was in Pike County on July 8. On July 19, the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources confirmed a black bear in Henderson County near Indiana’s border. Because Kentucky’s wildlife agency had not recorded a black bear in the western part of the state that summer and no additional confirmed reports were received in Indiana, it is believed Indiana’s bear crossed over to Kentucky during July 2021.

 

June 2021 Story From Media Partner WEHT Eyewitness News

Bear Barely Caught on Video

I grew up in Princeton, and I am very familiar with the Southside Park area. I used to ride my bike there and later walked my dog in the same spot where Ayden Smith saw a bear. This park isn't in the middle of town, in fact, it is right next to a field and who knows what is lurking in there.

The top left and bottom photos are from Google Maps 2012. The top right is a screen grab from Ayden's video. This can give you a little perspective on how far away the teens were from the bear.

This is only a five-second Snapchat video, so it goes by very fast. The quality is not the greatest, since he had to zoom in from so far away. I've muted the sound because seeing a bear sparked some colorful language!

September 3, 2022, Bear Sighting Princeton, Indiana Near Southside Park

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If You See A Bear:

• Enjoy it from a distance.
• Do not climb a tree. Wait in a vehicle or building for the bear to leave the area.
• Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms and backing slowly away.
• Never attempt to feed or attract bears.
• Report bear sightings to the Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife

Source:[Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife]

Read More: Bear Sighting Princeton Indiana