SWOOPE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office has retracted a “be on the lookout” advisory for a bear in the Virginia Institute Way and Mt. Tabor Road area. The Virginia Department of Wildlife’s regional manager reached out to Sheriff Donald Smith saying the bear is known to the department and is not currently injured. The bear lost part of a leg at least a couple of years ago and “has been doing quite well”. He confirms the bear doesn’t need any intervention.
“In fact, if you see some of the other comments on the (Augusta Sheriff’s Facebook) post, neighbors have seen this bear before and can attest to its resilience.”

DWR urges any public that sees the bear to “enjoy the encounter from a distance, but there is no need to contact DWR to report the presence of the bear.”
They urge the public to be “bear aware” and make sure not to store household trash, or anything that smells like food, on vehicles or on porches or decks.