BELLVILLE — A black bear roaming around Bellville has stirred up quite a commotion among residents.
Village resident Amanda Epernis first spotted the unexpected visitor at 3 a.m. Monday on her Ring camera. The bear then made its way over to her bird feeder for a late-night snack.
Below is footage from Epernis’ Ring camera, posted to Facebook by Main Street Bellville.
The Epernis family saw the footage in the morning and shared it with their neighbors to warn them about the encounter around 11:30 a.m.
Rustling from the neighbor’s woodshed could be heard. Moments later, the bear ran out after eating chicken feed stored in the shed.
She said the spooked bear ran toward Honey Creek Road.
Black bear sightings have spiked in recent years. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources received a record-breaking 537 sightings across 69 counties in 2025. Most black bears are considered shy and avoid interacting with people. Chances of seeing one, however, are greater in summer months.
Bellville resident Amanda Lilly spotted the bear shortly after near the intersection of State Route 13 and Honey Creek Road around 12:05 p.m. Monday afternoon.
“I go to the end of the road, I get to the stop sign and I look up and the bear is right there,” Lilly said.
She stayed on Honey Creek Road to continue filming. That’s when she saw the bear run to a resident’s yard.
“I saw that there was a truck there and they had their door open. I thought, ‘What if they’re carrying in groceries, what if they’re outside and a bear walks up?'” Lilly said. “I honked my horn a couple times and the person didn’t come outside.”
The homeowner never came outside, but the sound of Lilly’s horn startled the bear, sending it back across State Route 13 into a bean field, heading southeast.
Lilly reported the sighting to ODNR after the encounter. A wildlife representative requested the video be sent to their biologist.
The footage will help ODNR estimate the bear’s age and whether it matches reports of the same bear seen earlier in the week. They believe it is the same bear they’ve received reports about, but still need to confirm with wildlife biologists.
According to ODNR, black bear sightings peak from late May through early July because of mating season. Young males often leave their mothers during this time and are found wandering more than females.
Some residents speculate this is a previously identified 2-year-old male because of its smaller size and triangular head shape.
These sightings in Bellville have come about a year after a 246-pound black bear was struck by a truck south of Lexington. The bear was euthanized because of its injuries.
The bear sightings have spread excitement throughout the community. Wildlife officials remind residents during this time to stay calm and be pre-beared.
