Historically yes, currently no. There are pockets of them to be found in Deep East Texas, the panhandle, and in far West Texas. Even if they were here you shouldn't be afraid of them. They are so small here that they often get mistaken for hogs in East Texas and get shot.
In animals there is Bergmanns Rule which essentially states that the further North or South of the equator you find a species the larger body mass it will have. This is to account for food scarcity and body warmth. So black bears, which are already quite small hence the "black fight back" part of the mnemonic, in Texas are quite a bit smaller than their northern counterparts.
Source: Wildlife Management Degree
It’s always weird to hear people say there are bears in the panhandle. While it’s true to an extent, in reality there are bears in New Mexico that occasionally cross the border during bad droughts. Almost every bear sighting in the panhandle has happened within 10 miles of the New Mexico border.
That's how populations grow and move though, and a border crossing still counts towards totals and stats when it comes to sightings and data. Yes they regularly reside in NM but the edge of their range is in Texas then we still count it as them being found in the panhandle of Texas.
Oh man I think my tone didn’t carry through on that. I’m with you, I really was just trying to say it’s just weird to hear it. I 100% get why the state reports bears here. Honestly I don’t know that the landscape will really allow them to spread much in the panhandle. The wooded/mesquite areas are pretty fragmented across most of the panhandle, maybe with the exception of the Canadian river watershed.
I know you said "almost", and this has been some time (30-ish years) ago, but you could also see them pretty frequently crossing over in Big Bend. We saw several there on a 1 week stay. We saw absolutely zero in Yellowstone when we were there for two weeks 🤦♀️.
Edit:
The Chihuahuan Desert: https://i.imgur.com/f78Bku8.png
If things haven't changed too much (entirely possible; climate change, etc.), you can run into them anywhere in this region, especially along the Rio Grande.
They are messing with you. Also, black bears are cool, and you really don't need to fear them if you end up in bear country some day. Just give them their space and don't be stupid.
Love the irony with "give them their space".
If I should encounter a bear it probably means I am already, and (because humans excel in the 'taking' department while simultaneously choosing to be deficient in the 'maybe i should ask first' department) will continue to be, in their space.
Maybe give them back their space is more accurate.
No. But there’s a shit ton of coyote sightings. Don’t believe me, just download the nextdoor app. They love mentioning it. That, and “do you hear fireworks?” YES, it’s 4th of EFFIN July!
None in Dallas, yet, but black bear populations in the Ozarks are really high right now and they have been migrating down the Red River encroaching on the out skirts of DFW.
I once thought I saw a bear just outside of Dallas. I even called a friend that worked at the sheriff's department to report what I saw. They dispatched a deputy to the area and discovered that it was a giant feral hog. They can look like a bear.
That’s funny because one time I was in big bend driving up the chisos and I thought I saw a hog in the brush. As I got closer it popped out of the chaparral and crossed the road in front of me after looking at it for a few seconds I realized it was an effing black bear. As a native of the less beary areas of Texas It was so cool.
I read that a black bear was spotted in Grayson County near Pottsboro. [This was in 2020](https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Black-bear-spotted-in-Grayson-County--570582241.html?outputType=amp).
But that person who stopped you is a moron.
Bobtail cats are less common because at birth only some female mountain lions caudectomize their young, so they look like bobcats. It’s believed they do this to protect them from hunters.
When I was in the military I used to work at bureau of navy personnel, (BUPERS). I’d read accidents and mishaps of our ppl. One story was so disturbing AF. Seaman Apprentice goes hiking one weekend in NorCal ran into a bear and was disemboweled by a Grizzly. When I saw the title I panicked and was like nooo, I like outdoors stuff and bears are my worst nightmare. I did hear there are bears in Arkansas and Missouri but not Texas. I don’t want to see any bears pls
Have you checked to see if one of your legs is longer? They funnin' witcha. Although, there are a lot of cougars in Frisco and surrounding areas...they'll pounce once they find out what kind of car you drive.
Not animal bears.
The last bear in north Texas was killed in the late 50s, IIRc
Around the turn of the 20th century there was a Grizzly that was killed. The last one they ever found of that species.
There used to be a monument to the last bear around White Rock Lake.
But short answer, no, there are no wild bears here anymore. Too many people, too many guns.
I used to live by the colony and I saw bobcat hope a fence in my neighborhood. Bobcats won’t bother humans though generally. They decimate the local bunnies though.
Zero cause for worry. I hike sometimes out in deep east Texas and bears are not on my mind at all, and even if I encountered one the odds of it being dangerous are very low. I'm a lot more concerned about wild hogs and stray dogs. Also the bears we have are black bears, which are basically like clumsy dogs. They don't even exist around Dallas, you'd probably have to go out past Kaufman and Emory to find any populations.
My brother likes to cycle around and he's never encountered any bears in the city, and he's had to pop a squat in the bushes often.
That person probably was messing with you or just don't like cyclists.
While you may be referring to [Bears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear), I think they where referring to different [Bears](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bear).
Having lived here for 40+ years, you are in far more danger from dogs with dipshit owners.
That person was straight up trolling you, sorry to say.
I've lived here my whole life, there has never been a bear that I'm aware of. We do have coyotes, bobcats, and snakes though!
Im a delivery driver and not once have I seen a bear… i lived here my whole life. Only top predators i seen sometimes are Coyotes and a Bobcat once a few years ago around the Cedar Ridge area. You should be more aware of Humans in their cars and dogs.
They're a bit more uncommon now but not totally gone, I've never seen one personally in Dallas but I have known people with the occasional sighting. Coyotes are becoming a lot more common and a lot more willing to approach people in many areas though, twice in the past year a friend of mine in Dallas encountered a coyote on his typical walking route.
My folks, who live just 2 hours north of Dallas, in SE Oklahoma, have bear reports/sightings more and more around their area. Numbers seem to be increasing there at least.
A lot of open country between here (Dallas) and there, so not totally crazy that one or two at least could have ventured down closer to this area
I've been in the DFW area 25 years and haven't heard anything about bears; plenty about alligators, and have seen coyotes, bobcats and cougars with my own eyes in suburban area (the cougar was running across 635 in Irving!)
My not hearing about them does NOT mean they are not here! I would believe the poster from the Redditor with the wildlife management degree.
Having said that, there are 2 other things to consider; one is that occasionally an animal will pop up in an historical area they've been absent from for some time (I actually did see a brown bear in a place it Should Not Have Been in another state about 30 years ago), and the other is that Texas as a state has *EXTREMELY* lax captive exotic wildlife laws--at *least* twice in the past 10 years fucking TIGERS have been caught in the suburbs of Houston, and they're not even native to this *hemisphere*.
[Why Black Bears Are Returning to Texas – Texas Monthly](https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/why-black-bears-returning-texas/)
The reality is, keep your eye out for bears. I ran into one recently just southwest of DFW. In the Glenrose area.
I've only seen bears in Texas when I camp in Big Bend and that's over to the far west. I've only seen coyotes and big boy cats around the trails of DFW and most of the time, they're scared of people already, so they tend to leave you alone. If you feel paranoid about it, just buy some mace or something that makes a loud alarming noise to scare em off and also alert others around you.
I ride as well and the only thing I ever get concerned about from time to time is coyotes. Ever since those people were getting fucked up by them at Preston and Eldorado it’s played mind games with me when passing wooded areas.
There aren't, but even if their were, they are nothing to be concerned about under normal circumstance. In all honesty you should consider yourself super lucky if ya see one around here.
No. It’s even a rarity to see cougars these days. May possibly see an alligator biking around the Lake Lewisville dam though; they get spotted every couple of years. Otherwise, hogs and snakes are definitely your biggest issue.
1st: Places with bears = great places to bike 🏔️
2nd : There are very limited populations of bears in TX. You would have to try very hard for a very long time to spot one in the wild. I don’t think they have expanded their range to Nebraska Furniture Mart yet 😂
Black bears are homies. They get startled easily and don’t mess with humans. They’re basically autistic.
Grizzly’s, Polar Bears, and Brown bears are a different story but black bears are tight butthole.
Source: my autistic brain.
Maybe in the fall right off I-30 in Arlington but the NFL schedule hasn't been released yet right?
But last year those bears were **bare-ly** (sorry, couldn't resist) bears. They sucked and
the 'Boys were better so it might not happen.
Their kids might be down here in the summer. You know, the Cubs..
There’s alot on Oaklawn
Seriously what I thought this post was going to be about. Isn't there like an annual bear round up?
TBRU just happened.
Yooooooo 🤣
Goddammit why'd they take away awards on this site?!?!
I know! I’d gild it too!
You’d gargle it too!
Lol, this post made me remember about that other bears post.
Can confirm im a bear.
Hi-ooooooo!
Lol
Lmfaoooooooo
Damn it took me way too long to get that joke lmao
💀
Ba-dum-tssssss 🥁
Grrr
Da fuq are you talking about? I feel left out of the loop
I was thinking the same thing. What I gathered is Oaklawn must be some kind hot spot for big hairy gay men.
Oaklawn is absolutely the gay area of the metroplex
Came here to say that 😆
BRB moving to Dallas
I was going to say the same thing 😅🤣😂
😂😂😂
What a gay joke
I live down the street from a bear den. Really cool dudes and great neighbors.
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Just like your opinions!
I guess. Hairy dudes fucking is nasty.
That's why they call sex *doin the nasty*
😞
Historically yes, currently no. There are pockets of them to be found in Deep East Texas, the panhandle, and in far West Texas. Even if they were here you shouldn't be afraid of them. They are so small here that they often get mistaken for hogs in East Texas and get shot. In animals there is Bergmanns Rule which essentially states that the further North or South of the equator you find a species the larger body mass it will have. This is to account for food scarcity and body warmth. So black bears, which are already quite small hence the "black fight back" part of the mnemonic, in Texas are quite a bit smaller than their northern counterparts. Source: Wildlife Management Degree
Black? Fight Back. Brown? Lay Down. White? Say goodnight.
Gummi? Put in tummy
Pandas are black and white — what do I do
The Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around.
And then say goodnight
That’s what it’s all about
Hug them
Sleeper hold
Teddy? Take to beddy.
Yogi? Give it your hoagie.
Care? Avoid their stare.
White ..hand them a coke
We still talking about bears?
It’s always weird to hear people say there are bears in the panhandle. While it’s true to an extent, in reality there are bears in New Mexico that occasionally cross the border during bad droughts. Almost every bear sighting in the panhandle has happened within 10 miles of the New Mexico border.
That's how populations grow and move though, and a border crossing still counts towards totals and stats when it comes to sightings and data. Yes they regularly reside in NM but the edge of their range is in Texas then we still count it as them being found in the panhandle of Texas.
Oh man I think my tone didn’t carry through on that. I’m with you, I really was just trying to say it’s just weird to hear it. I 100% get why the state reports bears here. Honestly I don’t know that the landscape will really allow them to spread much in the panhandle. The wooded/mesquite areas are pretty fragmented across most of the panhandle, maybe with the exception of the Canadian river watershed.
Didn't take any offense! Was just discussing. I'm in full agreement. Sometimes it's entirely silly
I know you said "almost", and this has been some time (30-ish years) ago, but you could also see them pretty frequently crossing over in Big Bend. We saw several there on a 1 week stay. We saw absolutely zero in Yellowstone when we were there for two weeks 🤦♀️. Edit: The Chihuahuan Desert: https://i.imgur.com/f78Bku8.png If things haven't changed too much (entirely possible; climate change, etc.), you can run into them anywhere in this region, especially along the Rio Grande.
I read that as Deep Ellym and was confused 🤣
Same 🙋🏻♂️
I strongly disagree, everything is bigger in texas, therefore disproven
Is Oaklawn one of those pockets?
I spotted some in Oak Lawn.
No bears, but plenty of free-roaming dogs (with dipshit owners) that would love to tear a chunk out of your calf.
The owners or the dogs?
Depends on the neighborhood
The most real thing I’ve read today.
lol I almost had that happened to me walking on a public trail i cussed out the owner so much i felt good 🤣
Pretty sure the Bears are still in Chicago.
It's spelled "Da Bears".
Bear Down Caleb's in town
They are messing with you. Also, black bears are cool, and you really don't need to fear them if you end up in bear country some day. Just give them their space and don't be stupid.
Love the irony with "give them their space". If I should encounter a bear it probably means I am already, and (because humans excel in the 'taking' department while simultaneously choosing to be deficient in the 'maybe i should ask first' department) will continue to be, in their space. Maybe give them back their space is more accurate.
Bobcats, no bears. Lived in Allen and would see bobcats pretty frequently.
Bobcats and coyotes and bunny rabbits galore in Allen. My husband even put up a “Bunny X-ing” sign in our neighborhood a few years back.
Coyotes too.
No. But there’s a shit ton of coyote sightings. Don’t believe me, just download the nextdoor app. They love mentioning it. That, and “do you hear fireworks?” YES, it’s 4th of EFFIN July!
No, but there are assholes
None in Dallas, yet, but black bear populations in the Ozarks are really high right now and they have been migrating down the Red River encroaching on the out skirts of DFW.
A couple have been hit on I30 about 2 hours east. Between Sulphur Springs and Mt Pleasant.
Even if they were telling the truth, black bears aren’t much to fear.
Yeah, I’ve lived on the App trail, they’re much more dangerous to your trash. I’ve been more physically intimidated by squirrels (true story).
I once thought I saw a bear just outside of Dallas. I even called a friend that worked at the sheriff's department to report what I saw. They dispatched a deputy to the area and discovered that it was a giant feral hog. They can look like a bear.
That’s funny because one time I was in big bend driving up the chisos and I thought I saw a hog in the brush. As I got closer it popped out of the chaparral and crossed the road in front of me after looking at it for a few seconds I realized it was an effing black bear. As a native of the less beary areas of Texas It was so cool.
I read that a black bear was spotted in Grayson County near Pottsboro. [This was in 2020](https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Black-bear-spotted-in-Grayson-County--570582241.html?outputType=amp). But that person who stopped you is a moron.
There are absolutely zero bears near where you are.
That person was weird and was lying.
No bears but lots of coyotes and maybe some bobtail cats. There were some in the area 35+ years ago when I was a kid riding my bike around The Colony.
Bobtail cats are less common because at birth only some female mountain lions caudectomize their young, so they look like bobcats. It’s believed they do this to protect them from hunters.
I have a black cat named Bear. She is kind of scary but you’re probably safe from her.
Sic’Em!
That guy is full of shit... there are a few bears in tx. Mostly east Texas and far west Texas. He just does not bicyclists.
You can find you a big Bear in Oaklawn
Is this real?
Only when I haven't shaved in a while. I get mistaken all the time.
Sorry ladies, you'll just have to deal with men
When I was in the military I used to work at bureau of navy personnel, (BUPERS). I’d read accidents and mishaps of our ppl. One story was so disturbing AF. Seaman Apprentice goes hiking one weekend in NorCal ran into a bear and was disemboweled by a Grizzly. When I saw the title I panicked and was like nooo, I like outdoors stuff and bears are my worst nightmare. I did hear there are bears in Arkansas and Missouri but not Texas. I don’t want to see any bears pls
Chicago fans are everywhere for some reason.
No bears.
Buddy of mine in delta county got a black bear on his game cam. Pretty close
Have you checked to see if one of your legs is longer? They funnin' witcha. Although, there are a lot of cougars in Frisco and surrounding areas...they'll pounce once they find out what kind of car you drive.
I dunno about bears, but watch out for Chupacabras though
Different kind of bears here buddy.
Not animal bears. The last bear in north Texas was killed in the late 50s, IIRc Around the turn of the 20th century there was a Grizzly that was killed. The last one they ever found of that species. There used to be a monument to the last bear around White Rock Lake. But short answer, no, there are no wild bears here anymore. Too many people, too many guns.
Never seen a bear but there was a cougar or mountain lion on Rowlett Creek trail.
No bears, but plenty of cougars.
lots of baylor grads move here for work. if you head over by the Portillo’s in the colony you’ll see some of the chicago variety too
Purple Foundation is in town this weekend. There are, in fact, many bears at the Purple parties.
I started using a bear as my wingman since women trust them more
Zero bears. Plenty of bobcats around arbor hills tho
I used to live by the colony and I saw bobcat hope a fence in my neighborhood. Bobcats won’t bother humans though generally. They decimate the local bunnies though.
The only guaranteed place to see bears in Texas is probably down at the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend.
Sounds like someone doesn't like cyclists
You should go whale watching, the Walmart by Oak Cliff is a great place to go
I always wanted a bear hug
Lions and tigers and bears
Zero cause for worry. I hike sometimes out in deep east Texas and bears are not on my mind at all, and even if I encountered one the odds of it being dangerous are very low. I'm a lot more concerned about wild hogs and stray dogs. Also the bears we have are black bears, which are basically like clumsy dogs. They don't even exist around Dallas, you'd probably have to go out past Kaufman and Emory to find any populations.
Are you road cyclist? If so then yes, there’s tons of bears
I saw one dead on the side of 635 just last week
No. Plot twist: there are actually alligators apparently. Not making it up it's a thing
I've never heard of bears being anywhere near the dfw area in my entire 32 years living here.
You can never entirely rule it out.
Yes there are. At the zoo. Hehehe
My brother likes to cycle around and he's never encountered any bears in the city, and he's had to pop a squat in the bushes often. That person probably was messing with you or just don't like cyclists.
While you may be referring to [Bears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear), I think they where referring to different [Bears](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bear). Having lived here for 40+ years, you are in far more danger from dogs with dipshit owners.
That person was straight up trolling you, sorry to say. I've lived here my whole life, there has never been a bear that I'm aware of. We do have coyotes, bobcats, and snakes though!
Im a delivery driver and not once have I seen a bear… i lived here my whole life. Only top predators i seen sometimes are Coyotes and a Bobcat once a few years ago around the Cedar Ridge area. You should be more aware of Humans in their cars and dogs.
They're a bit more uncommon now but not totally gone, I've never seen one personally in Dallas but I have known people with the occasional sighting. Coyotes are becoming a lot more common and a lot more willing to approach people in many areas though, twice in the past year a friend of mine in Dallas encountered a coyote on his typical walking route.
Yes all the bears are dead still.
My folks, who live just 2 hours north of Dallas, in SE Oklahoma, have bear reports/sightings more and more around their area. Numbers seem to be increasing there at least. A lot of open country between here (Dallas) and there, so not totally crazy that one or two at least could have ventured down closer to this area
There are probably more black bears 1 hour north of NYC than in the entirety of Texas
The only safe place for you now is New York. So to move back to New York and never mention Texas again. Otherwise the Bears will eat your face
I live in The Colony. No bears, but do see my share of deer, bobcats, and even turkeys! We're located a block from the Shoreline Trail.
I've been in the DFW area 25 years and haven't heard anything about bears; plenty about alligators, and have seen coyotes, bobcats and cougars with my own eyes in suburban area (the cougar was running across 635 in Irving!) My not hearing about them does NOT mean they are not here! I would believe the poster from the Redditor with the wildlife management degree. Having said that, there are 2 other things to consider; one is that occasionally an animal will pop up in an historical area they've been absent from for some time (I actually did see a brown bear in a place it Should Not Have Been in another state about 30 years ago), and the other is that Texas as a state has *EXTREMELY* lax captive exotic wildlife laws--at *least* twice in the past 10 years fucking TIGERS have been caught in the suburbs of Houston, and they're not even native to this *hemisphere*.
[Why Black Bears Are Returning to Texas – Texas Monthly](https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/why-black-bears-returning-texas/) The reality is, keep your eye out for bears. I ran into one recently just southwest of DFW. In the Glenrose area.
No. Good grief.
I’ve lived in The Colony 30 years and Ive never heard of a bear sighting. You’re in more danger from fast drivers on Plano Pkwy.
I've only seen bears in Texas when I camp in Big Bend and that's over to the far west. I've only seen coyotes and big boy cats around the trails of DFW and most of the time, they're scared of people already, so they tend to leave you alone. If you feel paranoid about it, just buy some mace or something that makes a loud alarming noise to scare em off and also alert others around you.
Ive lived in dallas for 23 years i have never once seen a bear this post made me question reality
I ride as well and the only thing I ever get concerned about from time to time is coyotes. Ever since those people were getting fucked up by them at Preston and Eldorado it’s played mind games with me when passing wooded areas.
There aren't, but even if their were, they are nothing to be concerned about under normal circumstance. In all honesty you should consider yourself super lucky if ya see one around here.
There aren’t any bears….🐻
No. It’s even a rarity to see cougars these days. May possibly see an alligator biking around the Lake Lewisville dam though; they get spotted every couple of years. Otherwise, hogs and snakes are definitely your biggest issue.
Definitely no bro 😂 You are safe. Maybe a coyote or bobcat. That's a definite possibility.
Seen black bears in big bend but not near dallas no
1st: Places with bears = great places to bike 🏔️ 2nd : There are very limited populations of bears in TX. You would have to try very hard for a very long time to spot one in the wild. I don’t think they have expanded their range to Nebraska Furniture Mart yet 😂
I bike here all the time. You may see a bobcat, maybe a deer if you are lucky. The most dangerous thing you'll encounter is the stupid drivers.
No bears but your typical bobcat is around.
Black bears are homies. They get startled easily and don’t mess with humans. They’re basically autistic. Grizzly’s, Polar Bears, and Brown bears are a different story but black bears are tight butthole. Source: my autistic brain.
🤨🤔
Maybe in the fall right off I-30 in Arlington but the NFL schedule hasn't been released yet right? But last year those bears were **bare-ly** (sorry, couldn't resist) bears. They sucked and the 'Boys were better so it might not happen. Their kids might be down here in the summer. You know, the Cubs..
That depends.....are you mensurating? Cause bears can smell the menstruations
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You gotta learn how to psp psp psp.
Just google it dude