NORTH FORK, Calif. (KMPH) -
The hot weather is bringing out the wildlife because more people are going camping, with lots of food.
Park rangers say the bears have been very active in our local mountains.
Dan Standley just got home from church when he came face to face with a black bear on his North Fork property.
Dan Standley says, "I was standing in my bedroom looking out and seen him by the storage tanks; I said what are you doing."
In a move that would make even Yogi Bear proud, the young bear ripped apart his trash bin, leaving debris all over his yard.
Dan says the last time he saw a bear this low was back in the 1980's.
He called the sheriff's department.
Dan says, "As the sheriff and I were talking, the bear was standing on the road. He was just sitting there staring at us, like what."
With the amount of scat Dan found around his property, he figures the bear will be back.
U.S. Department of Fish and Game says bear sightings and bear encounters are way up this summer, a number have been spotted in North Fork, Bass Lake, and Oakhurst.
As for Dan and his two kids, they plan to keep eye on their dog Roxy, their neighbor's goats, and keep all activities indoors for a while.
Dan says, "Its all part of mountain life, you got animals deal with it."
With big crowds expected in the sierras throughout the summer months, park rangers say their message for prospective visitors is simple.
Enjoy the bears, take it slow, keep at a safe distance and properly store your food.
