Another Day, Another Bear Sighting in Gwinnett

Becky Busby was winding down her regular morning walk at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when she saw something in a grassy area near Dogwood Circle and Ridgecrest Drive that she thought was a very strange looking dog. 

Then she got a closer look and realized that it was a black bear. She said that it was larger than a baby bear, but still young, "about toddler age."  

"The first thing I thought was, 'Where is is mother?'" Busby said, a 12-year Norcross resident who is a partner at a wholesale security company.  

She began to walk faster--and the young bear started trailing her. Busby's heart began to race. She knew that she shouldn't run because it might cue him to run after her. 

She said she initially spotted the bear somewhere around 300 block of Dogwood Circle. After following her for about 50 feet, the bear spotted some neighbors in a driveway and began to make its way to their garage. 

She didn't speak to the neighbors, but believes they must have seen him approach. 

"My husband was like, 'Are you sure? A bear?' But it was definitely a bear," said Busby. "It scared the flip out of me." 

A black bear was hit by a car and killed in Duluth on July 21 at the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway and Old Peachtree Road. Authorities believed it to be the first spotting this year, according to news reports. Animal Control estimated that bear to be 250 pounds.

Busby said she'll think about carrying some bear spray on future morning walks, at least until the bear is located.