DEEP closes Sessions Woods due to bold bear

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has closed hiking trails at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington due to the apparent bold behavior of a black bear there that followed and approached a female hiker early in the afternoon on Aug. 28.

DEEP’s wildlife staff say the male bear – which is approximately 1-½ years old and possibly weighs about 150 pounds – followed the woman for quite some time shortly after noon. It also approached and circled her when she stopped walking and at one point it appears its mouth made contact with the hiker’s leg. The hiker was not injured in the incident.

Video of the bear taken by the woman showed tags on its ears that had been placed there by DEEP staff in previous dealings with the bear. DEEP records show the bear was first tagged as a yearling in its winter den, as part of the agency’s effort to track the bear population, and was also captured and relocated at least one other time.

DEEP has posted signs at Sessions Woods notifying hikers that the trails there are closed until further notice.

DEEP Spokesman Dennis Schain said, “DEEP staff had a chance to talk with this woman after her encounter with the bear. We are relieved she was not injured. This was certainly an unusual incident as bears do not often approach people.”