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An Elizabethtown resident on Sportsman Lake Road found a surprise on their security camera Wednesday morning as they saw a young black bear wander through their back porch.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Bear Program Coordinator John Hast says while such a sighting is a surprise, it is not that uncommon.
“Although we’ve not had one out there for a couple years, that seems to be a fairly common place to get them passing through,” Hast said. “I think probably 2018 was kind of our first big year where we had a few between E-Town and Louisville. We’ve had one road killed on 31-W there, kind of between Fort Knox and Louisville. It’s kind of just a point where they seem to converge right there.”
Hast says this is the first year since 2020 that the state has seen increased reports of roaming bears, but it is just part of how the animals go about their lives.
“It’s just kind of the evolutionary plan of bear populations,” Hast said. “They send their young males out. So right now is the start of the breeding season in the bear range in the mountains of Kentucky, and really this is the point where those year and a half old males kind of get the boot, and when that happens they go in search of new habitat and mates and let’s call it one out of every 100 or one out of every 200 just ends up walking out of the mountains.”
Hast says if you happen to spot a bear, use common sense, but enjoy the moment.
“Honestly, I tell people, especially folks in E-Town and outside the typical bear range, consider yourself lucky that you saw one, and just take it for what it is,” Hast said. “Get a quick video on the cell phone or something. Obviously, don’t approach.”
Hast says in nearly all cases the bear returns to the mountains by September or October, but residents can help to make sure the only bear that is taking up residency in the area is Central Hardin’s mascot.
“The biggest thing with keeping these bears wild, and this bear in E-Town we don’t have any record of him getting in any garbage or getting a meal in any way so he’s just truly roaming, which is what we want to see, but if you’re in that area, secure your garbage for a couple weeks, just to be on the safe side,” Hast said.
Hast says the estimated Kentucky bear population is between 1,000 and 1,500. Information on bears and what to do if you spot one can be found at www.bearwise.org.
The Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after the discovery of human remains.
The sheriff’s office says deputies responded Monday evening to a call about remains that had been found at a property north of the Little Flock Baptist Church on Old Preston Highway North. A person there was bush-hogging near Tanyard Branch Creek when they discovered the remains and contacted law enforcement.
The case is being considered a death investigation. The sheriff’s office is reviewing area missing persons reports while working with the medical examiner’s office to try and identify the individual.
Anybody with possible information that may assist the investigation is asked to call or email the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip Line. (502-543-1262, crimetip@bcky.org)
Registration is open for Elizabethtown Community and Technical College’s annual summer program, Kids College.
“Kids College is an opportunity we have in the summer for kids to come on campus and learn from a few of our instructors in the areas of robotics, baking and food prep, and agriculture,” said ECTC Lead Recruiter and Kids College Coordinator Becca Owsley. “It is for students that have finished the first through eighth grade, and they’re broken up into three different groups. There’s kids first through third grade, fourth through fifth grade, and sixth through eighth grade.”
The camp is sponsored by Abound Credit Union, and kids can sign up for three different classes. “Beginning Robotics” will see students building and programming a robot built from a LEGO Robotics kit. “Baking Fun” will include projects based on food, nutrition, and baking. “Ag is for Everyone” will include live animals, demonstrations, and lab activities.
“Registration is open now, and it will run through June 14” Owsley said. “They can go to the ECTC website and search for Kids College, and they can find where to register there.”
Advanced registration is required and spaces are first come, first serve.
Warmer weather means more time outdoors, which also means more potential for exposure to ticks.
The most common ticks in Kentucky are the lone star tick, the blacklegged tick, and the American dog tick. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says that any tick bite should be taken seriously due to the potential for illnesses such as Lyme disease, which is of growing concern in the commonwealth.
Before going outdoors, use EPA-registered insect repellents, treat clothing with products containing permethrin, and take precautions when walking through wooded or brushy area, tall grass, and wood or leaf piles.
After spending time outdoors, perform tick checks, shower, and tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes. If a tick is found attached to the skin, remove it as soon as possible. Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently pull with steady pressure, then clean the area of the bite and wash your hands. If symptoms of an illness arise within a few weeks, get medical attention and tell them about the tick bite.
Kentuckians can contribute to tick research by looking up the Kentucky Tick Surveillance Project, which is run by the University of Kentucky.