PITTSTON, Pa. — "Oh, God! Momma bears coming down on my patio! Oh, God!"
That was Laura Hall's reaction when a mother bear and four cubs began climbing around her deck at her home on Friday morning.
"I had to do a double-take because you don't see bears around here. Then I ran and got him, and I don't think he believed either," Laura said as she motioned to her husband, Aaron.
"Yeah, I was kind of like 'what,' laughed Aaron. "I took a bunch of pictures of them and got them climbing up in the tree. I guess I got a little close, she gave me a little warning and raked the tree, so I figured I was close enough, and I was done. So I went back in the house and watched them from the windows."
"They were playing just like little kids; they were pushing each other around and climbing over things. They were using this as a jungle gym or something. Momma was just watching over them; it was just like watching a mom with her kids. It was really cool," explained Laura.
The Halls said they didn't have any birdseed or garbage in their backyard, but there are a number of reasons a bear and her cubs might end up in a neighborhood, according to Bill Williams of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
"This weather this time of year may be a factor because it's been very dry, food availability may not be the best, so they may be searching a little outside of their range to get something to eat," explained Williams.
William said for you and the bears' safety, it's best to keep food that attracts bears out of your yard.
If they show up in your yard, stay inside until they leave.
It's uncommon for black bears to attack, but if you encounter one outside it's best to do the following:
- Stay calm
- Make the bear aware of your presence
- Shout at the bear while walking away; give it space
- Do not run or play dead
- If the bear does attack, fight back using fists or any objects available
Luckily that wasn't the case for the Halls; hey think the bears were there for a peaceful reason.
"I think they came to pay their respects to my father, he passed away two weeks ago, and that's my story, and I'm sticking to it," said Aaron.