It’s the season for bear encounters around the Morongo Basin. Social media has been flooded with reports of bears breaking into cars, trailers, and yards, and one hiker even had to be rescued at the Mission Creek Preserve near Morongo Valley after fleeing from a bear sighting.
Why are there bears here in the desert? We spoke with former Z107.7 deejay Mitchell Schlickenmeyer, who is now a preserve ranger at Pioneertown Mountain Preserve with the Wildlands Conservancy.
Schlickenmeyer said that black bears are common to our area.
“They’re more in the mountainous areas by the San Bernardino Mountains, that’s Pioneertown, Morongo Valley. They are not really in the open desert. I’ve had a sighting at my place as well as my neighbor’s (property) and obviously Mission Creek. I’d say it’s pretty normal at this time of year, sightings and activity will slow in the winter, and pick back up again in the spring and summer months.”
Schlickenmeyer was emphatic that black bears are not interested in engaging with human beings, stressing that they are on the lookout for food. Still, if you encounter one while hiking, he advised:
“If you see a bear, make yourself big. Calmly talk to the bear. Stay calm. If you have small children, pick them up immediately.”
To avoid encounters like this, it’s best to hike in groups.
