Man fends off charging black bear with spray at Lake Tahoe home

Harrowing video captured a black bear charging Cortlandt Koerwitz outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home, and the bear spray already in his hand helped stop the encounter. The Fourth of July incident unfolded in Tahoma, California, after Koerwitz's daughters first spotted the animal rummaging through garbage in the garage.

Koerwitz, who is from Sacramento, said he went outside with bear spray in hand to check on the bear. When the animal suddenly rushed at him, he fired the spray and said some of it blew back into his eyes. He described the bear as a black bear and said bears are common in the area, often getting into cars or trash, but that this level of aggression was unusual.

The family noticed the bear before it reached the house, the garage garbage had given it an easy food source, and Koerwitz had spray ready before stepping outside. Bears quickly learn to associate people with food when they repeatedly find unsecured garbage or other attractants, a pattern that leads to more sightings near homes, trailheads and beaches.

Black bear conflicts in the Lake Tahoe Basin have increased in recent years, creating serious concerns for public safety and property damage. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife launched its Trap-Tag-Haze program in 2020. The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team has urged residents and visitors to secure trash, remove food attractants and keep bear spray readily accessible.

Tahoe National Forest is black bear country, and storing food and garbage securely is one of the best ways to reduce conflict. Summer vacation season is also active wildlife season in the Lake Tahoe Basin, with more chances for bears to find food around vacation homes left with trash, coolers or pet food within reach.