DeLa Bales sent black bear photos to James Spann after a sighting, and he posted them on Facebook.
James Spann Posted About a Black Bear Sighting in Decatur, Alabama
On July 23, 2025, James Spann posted the following about a black bear sighting on Harold Drive in Decatur in a Facebook post (see images below):
credit: DeLa Bales
Comments to the Facebook Post about the Black Bear in Decatur
There were interesting comments to the Facebook post about the black bear seen in Decatur, with some sharing about sightings also in Tennessee.
Betty Par wrote: "The close-up in the tree is so precious! I read somewhere that the growth of population in Tennessee is the reason for more frequent sitings in north Alabama...makes me feel sorry for the bears."
Nena Goodwin wrote: "What a beauty, that little bear!! harmless unless threatened. Or to protect their cub if they're too close, they usually just runoff black bears are not aggressive."
Tara Ann Redditt wrote: "We suddenly have them everywhere in west Tennessee suddenly. My husband said he saw one a year ago. They convinced him it was a cow but he always insisted it ran like a bear not a cow. Since he rode bulls. I guess he saw a bear. We now know of several. Lol"
Rita Mahaffey wrote: "How come all these bear sightings in the valley all of a sudden. Is some environmental organization trying to sneak in and establish a new habitat for them. We need them to go back where they came from."
Russ Williams wrote: "Is this the same bear that's been tracked from Arkansas, across North Mississippi, and spotted in a pear tree in Lawrence County a couple of days ago? MDWFP said yes to the bear in the pear tree. It can be identified by markings like a notch in the left ear."
Mickey V Brannan wrote: "There's got to be more than one bear... Considering there have been bear sightings in Limestone County, Lawrence County, Colbert County and Morgan County...I realize they can move around pretty quick but that's a lot of distance to cover in a very short time."
Sharon Durbin Horton wrote: "I feel bad for the bears because they are out of their normal habitat, run out by builders that just have to make more money."
Jeffrey Korner wrote: "Just remember folks bears are beautiful animals but are oh so dangerous especially to our children especially when startle them they will charge in their own fear. Bears close [to] homes with small children is a tragedy waiting to happen. Bears are so powerful and can and have killed humans."
Charlotte Hinkle wrote: "Thank you for sharing pictures. I will never walk to mail box or in back yard covered with trees and creek just down road without fear of seeing one. They are beautiful and amazing we have them so close."
Richard Paquette wrote: "What ever you do don't feed them. It's a death sentence for them and possibly you also. There [are] opportunists, they have a range of 200 miles. And there lazy they go where the food is. And [they] have [an] uncanny [sense] of smell."
Joanne Borden wrote: "He is just a baby! Y'all please don't hurt him or approach him and cause other people to hurt him or her."
Have you ever seen a black bear in Alabama?
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| credit: DeLa Bales |
Video: Black Bear Sighted Swimming in Lake Guntersville
A black bear was sighted swimming in Lake Guntersville and can be seen in the video below posted on Facebook.
The description reads:
"While most Alabamians are wary of snakes and, in some areas, alligators in our waterways, it seems like it's time to add bears, like this one seen in Lake Guntersville, to that list."
video credit: A.J. McGee
Black Bear Seen in Pigeon Forge Tennessee Hot Tub
FOX 13 News reported on August 18, 2025, that a black bear was found in a Pigeon Forge, Tennessee hot tub at their rental.
"Felicia Shillingburg said she was in the hot tub of a rental in Pigeon Forge with her mother and a friend when a bear came around the corner and onto the wooden deck." -FOX13 News
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| Black bear in a Pigeon Forge, TN hot tub |
Amy Roberts posted in the comments on Facebook: "Better take pics so you don't lose your damage deposit on the Air BNB!!! Owner never going to believe that story....no, really, it was a bear!"
