Millions of people visit the Great Smoky Mountains each year hoping to catch a glimpse of a black bear in the wild. But these two honeymooners from the Atlanta area got a unique encounter they could bear-ly believe was possible.
Last weekend, Blake and Katie Odgers experienced one of the most important days of their lives – their wedding day. The couple started their journey of marital bliss with a honeymoon to the Smokies.
When the couple arrived at their honeymoon cabin in Gatlinburg, Tenn., it wasn’t long before they spotted a black bear on their cabin deck. The bear sniffed around and wandered off.
Not too much of an odd occurrence around these parts.
But the next day, the couple got the wake-up call of a lifetime when they heard a car horn that sounded like it was coming from their 2014 Jeep Cherokee.
Looking out the window, the couple did not see anything out of place about the Jeep.
So when Blake walked up to the vehicle to investigate, he was surprised to see a large black bear looking back at him after he opened the door.
The couple gets the surprise of a lifetime
Of course, Blake turned around quickly and ran back to the cabin.
“We thought we had [taken] every precaution … no food in the car, etc,” says Blake.
But that didn’t stop the bear’s curiosity. The couple speculates that the black bear opened the car door, climbed in the Jeep, and then became trapped when the car door likely closed behind it – since the vehicle was parked on a hill.
The bear might have been inside the car for hours.
At the very least, it was inside the car long enough to do some damage. The interior leather was torn, the gear shift was damaged and the steering wheel was bitten in half.
Officer Hunter Finchem answered the couple’s call about the incident. According to Blake, Finchem told them that in all his time of answering calls about bears, he had never seen a vehicle destroyed quite like this.
The Jeep has been towed away and assessed by insurance adjustors.
Blake advises all visitors to the Smokies to double-check their surroundings and always lock car doors.
“Always double-check,” says Blake. “Before going to bed, double-check to make sure and just be more aware. You’re in the mountains. This is their home, so just expect and prepare for them to be around. Take every precaution then double-check, even if you feel you have!”
Black bear safety in the Smoky Mountains
With every article we write about bear encounters, we like to remind our readers about the importance of black bear safety.
Bears have unfortunately learned that cars can make good targets for potential food. Remember to lock car doors, even if you think there’s nothing in the car that might entice a bear.
Always be sure to lock up garbage as well, and never intentionally offer food to a bear.
What to do if you see a bear in the Smokies
It is unlawful to purposefully approach a bear in the Great Smoky Mountains.
The National Park Service reminds us that it is important not to let a black bear approach you whenever reasonably possible.
“If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.) you are too close,” reads the NPS.gov website.
If a black bear seems to have taken an interest in you, back away slowly, and do not turn your back to the bear.
Read Also: What to do if you see a black bear, 3 safety tips
In the very improbable event that a black bear attacks, do not play dead. Instead, you can attempt to scare it away using spray, sticks, rocks and fists. If you fight back, most black bears will give up.
Again, this is only if the bear attacks first. Do not provoke a bear to fight.
For more information about black bears in the Smoky Mountains, visit nps.gov.
Have you ever had an encounter like this in the Smokies? Let us know in the comments.
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