Overview
- Video posted by Cortlandt Koerwitz shows him deploying bear spray as a black bear charged him at his Tahoma vacation home on Saturday, July 4.
- Koerwitz said the spray drove the bear off and that he suffered only eye irritation from overspray rather than a physical injury.
- The encounter began after Koerwitz’s daughters spotted the bear rummaging in a garage garbage can, according to his account to local stations.
- The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Tahoe wildlife conflict team say Lake Tahoe has a high bear density and they urged residents to secure trash, keep food out of vehicles, and contact wildlife teams for help.
- News coverage triggered public reminders and prompted officials to route inquiries to the Tahoe wildlife conflict team, and there are no reports of capture or enforcement actions as of the latest reporting.