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2012 Westford Bear Map

Bears have been spotted on numerous occasions throughout Northern Westford recently.

 

Last week we shared a report of bears just over the Westford border in Tyngsboro, and since then we've received a couple of reports of the bears wandering throughout the area.

We'll update the map above every week or so with information provided by you here in the comments section.

If you see the bears, don't approach them. Call 978-692-2161, mention your incident here and remember the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife rules for peaceful co-existence with bears...

If you are able to take a picture of the bears from a safe distance, please share it with us by clicking the "Upload Photos and Videos" button. Our goal here is to provide a forum where residents can keep appraised of the location of the bears and become informed about their presence in our community.

Related Topics: Bear Sighting

Lisa

6:46 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012

My Mom told me her neighbors on North Hill Rd. saw 3 bears on their front lawn the other day.

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Andrew Sylvia

6:54 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012

Where on North Hill Road and what time and date?

Tammy A Nolan

7:29 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012

It was seen on North Hill Rd on monday between 5:30 and 6:30 (seen by multiple families as it headed up the street).

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Andrew Sylvia

10:37 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tammy, where on North Hill Road? Help me narrow it down so I can place another tab up there.

Tammy A Nolan

7:31 am on Friday, May 25, 2012

Number 6-10 around 5:30am and 25-27 around 6:30am.

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Tammy A Nolan

7:31 am on Friday, May 25, 2012

Also, per Kevin Regan at Day School last night, one spotted yesterday near Blanchard middle school, hence the Day school had indoor recess.

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Shannon Banatt

9:40 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2012

7:30pm June 3; saw a bear walk through Shannon Circle between #10/11

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jean

11:04 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2012

Saw a Bear around the entrance of Misty Lane at around 9:00 pm -June 3

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Robin P.

8:11 am on Monday, June 4, 2012

Just saw a bear crossing Groton Road between Allie Lane and Woods Pond Road (June 4th at 7:40am)

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Leah

6:13 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Saw a baby bear cross Bayberry Road! (June 19, 3:45pm)

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Dan D.

10:59 am on Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Bear cub seen on Bixby Lane last night. Thinking it would make a nice rug in my den (yes, "den" intentional).

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Katie S

9:10 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Bear cub knocked down birdfeeder and wandered through our yard on Heywood Rd.

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Leanna Moran

8:30 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012

6am on 7/3 in Grassy Pond walking area, behind 34 Plain Road.

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Michelle

11:10 am on Saturday, July 7, 2012

The photo of the young bear I sent in was spotted in my backyard on 7/3/12 around 1pm on Village View Road in Forge Village. He ate his fill if bird seed and went back into the woods.

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Andrew Sylvia

3:04 pm on Saturday, July 7, 2012

Thanks guys! I apologize for the delay. Updating now.

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Ajit Sabnis

1:27 am on Sunday, July 8, 2012

This is form sometime back: Date May 19, 2012, ~3:45PM. Small/medium size bear sighting on the Westofrd / Tyngsboro line at the tip of Bolger Lane in Westford and Fay Memorial Drive in Tyngsboro

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Denise Roby Gallagher

6:45 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012

Just saw a bear in my front yard on Heywood Road at about 6:15.

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Andrew Sylvia

9:40 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012

Updated -- wow, these bears are getting around.

Kendra Kilsdonk

6:55 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Bear cub in side yard of 64 Lake Shore Drive North. 6:30am, July 11.

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Michelle

3:53 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Another visit from Little Bear today 7/11/12 at 3pm on Village View Road in Forge Village.

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Michelle

3:04 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012

Little Bear back again at 12:15pm on 7/12/12 on Village View Road in Forge Village.

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Andrew Sylvia

3:19 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012

Thanks Michelle, same address as before?

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Kathy H.

5:42 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012

July 6/7 Mr. Bear visited backyard overnight. 98 Jacques Rd. Bird feeder pole bent all the way to the ground and Mr. Bear absconded with the one feeder that still had seed in it. We looked around for the feeder but never found it.

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Kathy H.

5:45 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012

Off of Chestnut Rd. in Tyngsboro.

jay hreha

12:10 am on Saturday, July 14, 2012

you know if we would stop building in there invirement you would not see them this a problem thats only going to get worse next it will be a person or child being attacked and you know the thing thats sad to say is that it not the bears fault its the peoples who want to keep building deep in the woods so think about that the next time your asked to vote on some big builder who wants build a huge develoment in your town I was raisd in westford and never had these problems when I was growing up.....

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Wayne Lockhart

10:39 am on Saturday, July 14, 2012

The 16 Heywood stamp says July 19th... I think is should have been June 19th... or your trying your hand at predictive tracking :-)

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Andrew Sylvia

9:30 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012

Whoops! Thanks Wayne, fixed that. Hopefully this informal map can help track them a little by establishing some boundaries of their adopted habitat. Also got in the Jacques sighting.

Just a reminder, please include the time, date and address. If you don't want to give your house, please include approximate address area.

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Michelle

11:31 am on Thursday, July 19, 2012

7/19 at 1am on Village View Road in Forge Village....big bear in backyard. This was a different bear from the smaller one that was coming around in the daytime.

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Andrew Sylvia

12:54 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sorry for the delay, got up the update a few days ago. I will be on vacation for the next few days, so "bear" with me in the meantime!

Marie Shanahan

12:41 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012

This is a little scary. I have a question. Should people with ground level, sliding doors, be wary of bear break ins?

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Marie Shanahan

12:45 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012

I wonder about public safety, given that in the complex where I live, there are ground level, sliding door apartments very near the dumpsters, I'm afraid, and sometimes, I fear for safety given the proximity of a food source, the bear and finally, people. Thank you.

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Chandra Nelson

6:56 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012

This afternoon we had a bear walk across our driveway and through our front yard on Abbot Street. This is the third sighting on Abbot Street during the month of July.

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Michelle

9:10 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012

I wonder if this is the same young one that I saw in my backyard on Village View earlier this month. He always came around in the afternoon. The adults tend to come by at night.

Brian

9:22 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012

We just arrived back from vacation tonight. Our neighbor came over to tell us that they had a big black bear at their bird feeder on Friday evening around 5PM. 11 Phillips Drive.

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River Street

3:51 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012

Bear cub seen crossing River Street in Westford around lots 7-8 on July 30 at about 8:30 am.

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Wendy Sheppard

1:34 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012

I believe our neighbor at 94 Dunstable Rd had one cub in her backyard a couple of weeks ago (around July 18th). The neighbor likes to feed the birds (including the wild turkeys), so that may have been the bear's motivation.

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Andrew Sylvia

5:02 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012

I was on vacation for these last three. Adding now.

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Lisa

3:45 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012

The bear walked right through my backyard at around 11:30 this morning. He went over the stone wall into the neighbors yard and disappeared into the woods behind their barn. We are at 35 North Main St.

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Sandy

8:58 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012

Bear seen on Village View Road on Sunday, August 26th. First at 12N and then again at approx. 2PM. It came out of the woods, crossed Village View and headed in the back yards.

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Tom Wimberg

11:00 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012

Just saw a bear in our back yard on Keyes Rd near Groton Rd at 10:30.

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Michelle

11:28 am on Monday, October 1, 2012

Little Bear in backyard on Village View Road, 10/1 at 8am. He ate birdseed and went back in woods.

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Andrew Sylvia

12:26 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Hi Michelle, can you narrow it down on Village View Road a little?

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Michelle

1:48 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012

Not comfortable giving my address, so I'll say once you enter the street, it's about a 1/2 mi down from 225.

Think Twice

3:46 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Full grown black bear encountered while bike riding trails just behind the Pine Grove Cemetery (by Westford Water Dept.) at Noon on 10/2.

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Dawn Matthews

2:26 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012

This is second hand knowledge, there was a bear sighted at 82 Main Street last night and at around 8am this morning. The people in this house have beehives so I guess the bear is after the honey

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Skippy

3:02 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012

It made the rounds, knocking over bird feeders, on Kirsi yesterday.

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Andrew Sylvia

3:08 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012

We did a story on that apiary on Main Street last year! (http://westford.patch.com/articles/video-beekeeping-on-main-street#video-8504943)

Map's updated. Will try to check in each week. A resident e-mailed me some photos earlier in the week, please upload here rather than e-mailing me, that saves everybody time.

D Thompson

11:46 am on Friday, October 12, 2012

Medium sized black bear took & ate pumpkin from 10 Crusade Rd. today around 9:45am. Made his way somewhere back down Crusade, assuming toward Tadmuck.

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Concerned Family

11:43 am on Monday, October 15, 2012

What happens when these bears get frustrated and can no longer find food? The bears do not belong in residential neighborhoods that have been established for many decades. A well-developed, residential neighborhood is NOT their natural habitat. I can't believe the town is taking a "wait and see" approach. What happens in this scenario ... kids and parents are playing in their front yard. The young kids decide they want to play in the back. They run around the house and in the back a bear looking for food. The kids are giggling a little, startle the bear. Does it run in the opposite direction or towards the kids? Do we really want to find out?

While they are beautiful animals, they deserve to live in their natural habitat; a forest with ample natural food. The bears have become more bold and no one can predict what they might do. I hope the town comes to their senses and decides on a plan of action BEFORE some innocent person is harmed; whether it is a kid playing, a family walking hoe from the bus stop, a runner running or a biker biking.

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Mark Childs

1:40 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

This morning I received word that someone spotted a bear at 10:30 last night crossing Russell's Way in my neighborhood, Greystone. I went outside and found the bear had knocked over two of the three bee hives behind our house. I was sorry to see the damage, of course, but am glad to live in a town with wildlife - it makes life more interesting. I'm hopeful the bees will survive, by the way. The bear didn't actually break any equipment or even, apparently, eat any honey.

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Michelle

2:31 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

I agree with you, Mark. I love the wildlife that shows up in my yard. I live in an "established" neighborhood that is almost completely surrounded by woods so it's no surprise that bears are going to show up occasionally. Many people don't realize that bears have been in Westford for a long time. Unlike grizzlies, black bears are not aggressive animals and would run away if you happened upon one of them in your yard. To discourage them from coming near your house, take down birdfeeders, pet food, and secure garbage cans.

Mark Childs

3:54 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Unfortunately, taking down beehives is a bit more problematic than taking down birdfeeders! From my research it seems the only solution may be an electric fence. The state of New Hampshire actually pays for the cost of an electric fence after a bear damages a hive, because they recognize the value of bees for agriculture. Massachusetts doesn't do the same thing. A bit surprising given the whole red state, blue state reputations!

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Lisa

12:02 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Mark, I really appreciate your perspective on this. My neighbor's hives were pretty well destroyed by a bear last week. The bear hung around for a few days, but seems to have moved on. The loss of bees is devastating, and, assuming the bears aren't leaving town any time soon, I hope a win-win solution for you awesome beekeepers and the bears can be found. Please keep us informed about the electric fence possibility should you pursue that.

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Patti Mason

7:24 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012

About 7- 10 days ago - we had a bear between 22 and 24 Old Homestead Rd. He loved the Sunflower plants and tore off the flower/seed pods.

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Lauren Evans

9:03 pm on Saturday, October 20, 2012

At around 12:20 p.m. on October 20 a bear visited our backyard at 6 Sherwood Dr. It did not seem to be interested in anything in our yard and did not damage anything, but it sure put our dog in a tizzy when he saw it in the yard.

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Andrew Sylvia

8:41 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012

Bear Map has been updated -- keep the sightings coming here in the comments section!

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Peter

2:46 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

Had bear in back yard on Main Street just below Frost for 3 days weekend before last. Knocked down 3 hives which I rebuilt several time.
Then a bear took out my 4 hives on Hill Orchard, I believe probably Tuesday or Wednesday last week. Don't hold out much hope for them.
Bear returned here to Main Street last night took out the 3 rebuilt hives again and this time destroyed a fourth too. One hive is still queen right that I rebuilt this morning and have just found a loose queen with a couple of pounds of bees on the ground that I'll try to lure back into a box.
So far this year have lost to bears approx 150 frames, 3 deep boxes, 2 bottom boards and 9 hives of bees

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Mark Childs

3:56 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

That's really bad news about your hives, Peter. We were very lucky in comparison and so far the bear hasn't come back. Have you tried electric fences?

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Peter

4:38 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

Have one but it's not around the hives, not much point now this year, though I think I have managed to lure the cluster and loose queen into a couple of medium brood boxes. If so, and they survive the night I'll trya nd combine them with one of the other clusters that don't appear to have a queen.

Not a shy bear this one. It spent the day in the old orchard attached to 1 Leland and just now gave a commuter quite a shock as it decided to cross Main Street in the rush hour traffic (4.30pm). Was the same the 3 days he was here. Was walking around on the front porch looking in the windows, gave the dog quite a turn too. Also spent several hours on Thu and Sat sleeping on the log pile, guess it doesn't like the damp ground.

Peter

5:12 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

Wonder if there are any kids on the Abbott playing field this evening. Could be exciting for them, bear just crossed Academy/Fisher Way and is in the woods heading towards Abbott school.

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Andrew J. Macbeth

7:18 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

Bear was seen yesterday evening at around 5:30pm behind Connolly Insurance in Westford Center. After helping himself to some cornfeed in a wheel barrow, he sauntered along the back edge of the properties at 6,8,10, and 12 Boston Rd, where he/she turned into the woods.

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Andrew Sylvia

12:47 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Updated! We've been getting reports in Chelmsford too, so expanding to there.

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Peter

7:13 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Bear back at 82 Main Street last night. Ripped apart one rebuilt hive

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Lisa

4:08 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Saw a bear while driving down Graniteville Rd...on the front lawn of #22 at 3:00 this afternoon.

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Rob Putala

9:22 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

I had a bear at my bird feeder Monday night (March 4, 2013). I walked into my back yard and was confronted by this bear. I went inside and watched him/her for at least one hour before it left. 6 Unicorn Drive.

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Doug Shepherd

10:12 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Yea he was out and about Monday. He was spotted on North St too, headed your way haha

Doug Shepherd

2:21 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013

He was on my deck at 10:20 last night. I'll upload a pic of his Paw Print vs my hand

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Bianca

11:18 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013

We just saw a black bear on Nutting Road.

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E Sawyer

10:21 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Black bear was on Cherry Lane and Dunstable this evening (6 pm). On Dunstable, strolled through backs yards sniffing the ground and paying little attention to the police officers and residents watching from a ways off.

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