Karen Chávez

kchavez@gannett.com

Black bears are on the move in the heavily hiker-trafficked area of the Pisgah National Forest including Graveyard Fields, Black Balsam, and Shining Rock Wilderness areas.

U.S. Forest Service rangers are encouraging visitors to these areas of the Pisgah Ranger District to be extra cautious.

The large number of bear sightings and encounters in the past few years has led to required use of bear-proof canisters in these specific areas and a camping closure in Graveyard Fields (see http://go.usa.gov/czXJQ). Forest Service spokeswoman Cathy Dowd said the camping closure that began in March 2015 remains in effect.

"The closure just pertains to overnight camping. Day use is still allowed," Dowd said.

Backcountry users must use commercially-made canisters constructed of solid, non-pliable material manufactured for the specific purpose of resisting entry by bears.

Black bears look for food that campers and trail users bring on their trips. While black bear attacks on people are rare, such attacks have resulted in human fatalities.

Wildlife biologists say that the warmer than usual winter weather caused bears to wake up and start foraging for food earlier than usual this year. See more at Citizen-Times.com.

Visitors can minimize the possibilities of bear interactions by practicing the following safety tips:

Do not store food in tents

Properly store food by using a bear-proof container and properly hanging it in a tree

Clean up food or garbage around fire rings, grills, or other areas of your campsite

Do not leave food unattended

For more tips, visit http://go.usa.gov/czWbW or go to www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc and click on "Learn about Bear Safety."