Beware! I Saw a Black Bear in Pennington, NJ! Here’s Exactly Where He Was Hanging Out

This sort of thing never happens to me, but I'm absolutely bewildered that it did!

There's a good chance you've heard about the recent black bear sighting in Ewing Township. The report of the sighting was issued by Ewing Township on April 23, though there was no picture.

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Well, I saw him!! Or a bear in nearby Pennington. Obviously there are more than one in New Jersey.

This was about 6:19 pm on Wednesday, April 24. I had just left work and was driving on Pennington Road to take the I-95 S exit to Philadelphia.

If you've ever taken this exit, you know it's a pretty tight turn, and you often have to decelerate to make the turn safely. I was about halfway through the curb, and that's when I saw him!

He was standing on the grass to the right, right by the bush line. He was just chilling full view in the open!

So here's the bummer: I did not get a picture of the bear. I was going about 45 mph in my car and I had to keep moving. But here's exactly where I saw him.

What I did do was scream in shock and excitement as he nonchalantly watched my car go by without a care in the world. I fumbled for my phone to try to get a quick shot, but in the interest of not crashing my car next to a literal apex predator 100 feet away, I decided to let the moment go by and kept on rolling.

Now I'm no bear expert, but he/she looked about mid-sized. Certainly not one of the enormous black bears you see in the movies. But obviously, bears are nothing to be casual about.

He was approximately this size:

Officials Warn New Jersey Residents to Stay Cautious of Emerging Black Bears

Since this is the time of year bears are emerging from hibernation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a statement saying:

"As black bears emerge from their dens this spring, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is reminding residents and outdoor enthusiasts to take steps to reduce the potential for encounters, including reducing food sources, such as unsecured trash, that can attract bears."

For more information about what to do if you see a bear, click HERE.

It was pretty cool to see the bear, but it's imperative to stay away from them. Be safe!!