DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - Renewable resource officers are attributing unusually high levels of bear activity over the weekend in Fort Providence to a good berry crop and the beginning of the fall season.

"It's been a fairly busy weekend," said Edward Landry, a renewable resources officer.

Approximately five bears were sighted in and around the community between Aug. 28 to 30. A local resident had to destroy one of the bears, said Landry.

The activity started on Friday. A resident reported seeing one bear swimming towards the public dock. Another was sighted that day near the Fort Providence Park Campground. Landry patrolled both areas but didn't see either bears.

Sightings started again early on Saturday morning. Landry had a call by 8 a.m. of a bear crossing the road near the highway department's yard. Again the bear was gone before he arrived. Another resident phoned to report there was likely a bear near the houses on the highway between the Big River Service Centre and the ferry crossing because the dogs barked all night.

An evening patrol of the popular bear locations including the Horn River Road, the back road, the landfill and the campground at 8 p.m. revealed no signs of the bears, said Landry.

Landry was back to work again at approximately 11:20 p.m. when a call came in that a bear was in the community near the Horn River Road area. Again an hour and a half-long patrol didn't turn up any signs of the bear.

One bear met its end early Sunday morning. A resident found the young, skinny bear near their home, said Landry. The man didn't want to shoot the bear but after he fired a warning shot the bear returned and came closer to the house.

"It was his safety," said Landry.

The final bear of the weekend was reported at 4 p.m. near the houses along the highway. Landry watched the bear as it fed on the berries along the road.

"I knew it wasn't a problem bear," he said.

A warning shot did send the bear away from the houses. As of Tuesday morning there had been no further bear reports in the community. Landry said his main concern over the weekend was public safety.

After a relatively quiet summer in the hamlet during which only one bear was destroyed by renewable resources officers Landry is attributing abundant berries and the start of the fall season for the sudden spike in activity.

There's a patch of berries running along the riverbank that starts near the ferry crossing and comes all the way into the community, he said There are also berry patches along the edges of the community.

With hibernation just around the corner bears are trying to fatten up as quickly as possible and are looking for food sources, said Landry. Some of the bears that frequent the dump are also coming into town to find extra food, he said.

Not all of the bears, however, are nuisance animals, said Landry. Most are just looking for food.

With it getting dark earlier in the evening Landry is cautioning residents to know where their children are at all times. People who are going out on the land should also take precautions while setting up camps, he said. Any areas with bear droppings, wildlife paths or berry patches should be avoided, said Landry.