Man charged in death of mother bear in Pickens County community

PICKENS COUNTY, Ga. - A North Georgia resident is facing charges following the deadly shooting of a bear near his home in the Bent Tree community in Pickens County, authorities confirmed this week.

SEE ALSO: Mother bear killing in Pickens County sparks investigation, community outcry

What we know:

According to the community’s official public safety Facebook page, the incident happened on the night of May 15, but it wasn’t until the next morning that a passerby spotted the dead bear near Oglethorpe Mountain Road. Officials said the body was discovered roughly 75 to 100 feet from the shooter’s residence, with two cubs seen nearby.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has filed charges against the resident, who has not been publicly named. The individual has also been cited for violations of Bent Tree community rules.

RAW: Mother bear killed in Pickens County

A mother bear with two cubs was killed late last week in Pickens County. This is believed to be video of that mama bear and her cubs that was taken a few hours before the mother bear was shot and killed by a Bent Tree resident. Video courtesy of Bent Tree resident.

Dig deeper:

According to Bent Tree Public Safety, the resident admitted to shooting the bear with a .22 caliber firearm from a side window of his home around 10 p.m. on May 15. He told investigators the bear had visited his home three times that evening, each time agitating his dogs and tapping on his glass door. The resident said he initially tried to scare the bear by banging on the door, and using his car alarm. On its third visit, he claimed he feared for his safety and fired a shot at the bear’s rear to drive it off.

The man showed officials a video recorded earlier that evening, which depicted the bear standing on the edge of his porch with an empty cat food bowl in front of it. The bear swiped at the door once while the resident’s dogs barked from inside.

Cubs orphaned after someone kills mother bear

Tensions are running high in Jasper after authorities there say a mother black bear was shot and killed in the bent tree community, orphaning her two cubs. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is investigating and working to make sure the cubs survive. But right now, the authorities don’t know where they are.

Roughly 45 minutes before the reported shooting, the resident texted the video to an off-duty public safety employee, asking if he could shoot the animal. He was told he could not shoot the bear and was advised to call public safety for assistance. No such call was made, and the shooting went unreported until the following day.

Officials said there was no visible damage to the resident’s property and confirmed that the bear never entered the home. Investigators also noted the presence of potential bear attractants on the property, including cat food, greasy grills, and other debris.

What we don't know:

The exact wound location on the bear has not been disclosed. The resident claimed he was unaware the bear had cubs.

The name of the homeowner has not been released.

What you can do:

Authorities remind residents that while bears in the area are typically non-aggressive, they are wild animals. The community is encouraged to visit BearWise.org for tips on safely coexisting with local wildlife.