James Spann Posted on Facebook about Black Bear Sighting in Decatur, Alabama & Bear Found in TN Hot Tub

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?

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

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!"

Big Black Bear Spotted on Highway 89 Near Vacation Cabins in Mentone, Alabama on Monday

Meteorologist Jason Simpson posted a video on Facebook of a black bear running around in Mentone, Alabama, seen from Highway 89 North on Monday. People commenting on the video recommend locking your cars with a bear in the area.

Black bear sighting in Mentone, AL (credit: Sarah Blalock)

Sarah Blalock said:

"Don't let the video deceive you. That bear was bigger than it looked. We were on 89 North in Mentone."

Video of Big Black Bear Sighting in Mentone, Alabama 

Meteorologist Jason Simpson posted the video in his Facebook Reels, and the video can be seen below.

Video credit: Sarah Blalock

Would you like to see a black bear in Alabama?

Comments on the Facebook Reels Video of Black Bear in Mentone, AL

There were many interesting comments on Facebook after meteorologist Jason Simpson posted the video on Reels, which indicated that the black bear was sighted near vacation cabins.

Stephen V. Smith wrote: "These are our vacation cabins in Mentone ... we're gonna have to start charging this big boy a rental fee ..." 

Sarah Hatfield Blalock replied to Stephen V. Smith, "My sister lives down the road, so we come by your cabins all the time. You obviously have the best garbage on that side of 89." 

Then Denise Huff Willoughby also replied to Stephen V. Smith, "Can you please PM me your cabin rental page? We were just down there at the end of June & stayed off 89 on County Road 600."

Lisa Mullins wrote: 

"The music has me laughing. Someone in Gatlinburg show a bear opening up a car door with no problem and getting in. Lock our car doors, maybe door alarms and make sure you look in your car good before you get in."

Melissa Walls Estes wrote (with grammatical errors):

"We are taking up all their space. Bless their precious hearts ppl need to start trying to live in houses that are already built or tear down old ones & use the same spot. or we are soon gonna be no wilderness left. so sad"

Susan Killian Besant wrote:

"We were staying at an Airbnb in Mentone a couple of weeks ago-sitting outside enjoying beautiful view- hubs went inside and I heard rustling behind me and I thought it was a dog. Nope mamma and baby cub just came walking across the yard."

Sheila Trotman wrote: "I saw one yesterday in Ider, AL." 

Robert Keith wrote: "Who said you have to go to Cades Cove in the mountain to see a bear? They [are] right here in Alabama."

Pam German Cofer wrote: "Poor bears are running out of territory..."

Susan Driver wrote: "I'm not really crazy about bears."

James Spann Posted on Facebook about Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

James Spann Posted About a Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

On June 22, 2025, James Spann posted the following about a black bear sighting in a Facebook post (see image below):

Black Bear Sighting in Leeds, Alabama

James Spann Facebook post about a black bear sighting read:

From William Richard "Good morning Mr. Spann. The black bear spotted on Dunnavant Valley road and 41 was again captured last night shortly after 10:00 p.m. entering Leeds city limits. I captured him on one of my trail cameras just southwest of the quarry along Dunnavant Rd (SR 25) near Elliot Lane. After speaking with the woman who took the photo and got the security footage of the bear she gave me the exact location which was near the Dunnavant volunteer fire department, so I knew which ridge he was traveling along and set up multiple cameras.

This is the Little Oak Ridge that eventually becomes Mills Ridge in Leeds (AL). It's part of the mountain ridge that runs parallel to 119. I may have cheated a little bit and baited him to draw him in with a case of black berries, apples, and raw fish, so don't mind the bait pile.  This location is also just once in a list a few miles south of the Waffle House which is an infamous location for bear sightings in the past.

And as always, here is the photo (ssen above) from my trail camera app geo-tagged with exact GPS coordinates and the camera location on the map for authentication purposes to validate this is real. I noticed how many people questioned the validity of yesterday's photo. I believe this is the same bear from the video footage I sent you Thursday from Chelsea and Highway 51. I can't recall a black bear being this documented as it migrates northeast since I've lived here anyway. Pretty cool."

The Bear's Path Northward on a Map

The below map shows the black bear's path as it has been sighted moving northward in Alabama.

Map of black bear's path in Alabama

Have you ever seen a black bear in Alabama?

Black Bear Spotted Roaming Around Huntsville Alabama in June 2025. Get Your Eyes Checked, Because It's Not a Baby Elephant

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier posted photos and videos of a black bear roaming around Huntsville on Facebook in June 2025, and local residents are surprised that it really happened.

Black bear was seen in Huntsville, AL in June 2025

North Alabama residents got to experience nature over the weekend that is more typical of Gatlinburg, TN, or Asheville, NC, when a black bear was seen roaming around a neighborhood in June.

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier's Post on Facebook

WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier posted on her social media page about a black bear spotted in Huntsville, AL, in mid-June 2025, and people are losing their minds in the comment section. The first photo posted above was taken over the weekend.

Her Facebook post read:

"BEAR IN HUNTSVILLE! The bear was seen roaming around the Marina Park neighborhood in Huntsville over the weekend! Photo from Dana Doner." 

The second photo that Danielle Dozer posted (seen below) was taken on Monday, June 16, 2025, by Garrett Pinkerton.

Black bear spotted near the Redstone Arsenal in June 2025

On her Facebook page, she also has a video of the black bear roaming around Huntsville. AL.

Some Facebook Users Think That the Black Bear is a Baby Elephant

Facebook users sometimes say strange things, and this time was no different. Several users commenting on Danielle Dozier's original Facebook post think they are seeing a baby elephant. 

*For context, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide's mascot is an elephant, so there may be a joke hidden in there.

Facebook user Quoc Ha posted in the comments, "Looked like a baby elephant at first. lol" 

Facebook user Ashley Palguta added in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I thought it was an elephant. I thought it was some kind of AL joke."

Facebook user Paige Burnett Frost posted in the comments, "Why did I think that was an elephant 😂"

Facebook user Joni Charlton Colburn posted in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I had to zoom in. I saw an elephant too."

Facebook user Christa McDowell posted in the comments, "Quoc Ha, I thought that too 🐘"

Facebook user Nicole Burke McCowen posted in the comments, "Probably the same bear spotted by the train tracks on Hobbs Island yesterday."

Some Facebook users questioned if the bear was real or just AI, and WHNT News 19 Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier assured them in the comments that the black bear "was real after seeing the security video footage herself."

Safety Tips When Encountering a Black Bear in Huntsville, AL

It is important to remember that when you encounter a bear of any kind, to should keep calm. 

• If you have time, get all children and pets indoors quickly.
• Never turn your back on a bear and run. This can trigger a predator instinct to chase. 
• While black bears tend to be more skittish than other types of bears, a mother bear will be more aggressive when protecting her bear cubs. Always stay clear of bears and keep your distance.
• Never feed wildlife, including bears. It can cause them to get attached to humans, rather than fear them, and this will never end well for bears.