Bear League Comes to the Rescue in Los Angeles

It’s no easy task, but someone has to tackle it.

If you’ve ever found an unexpected, hefty bear lurking under your house and wondered whom to call, Bear League might be your go-to solution.

This organization recently removed a massive 550-pound black bear from a property in Los Angeles in just 20 minutes. For over 30 years, they’ve operated with a team of 220 dedicated volunteers and more than 2,500 members.

Based in the beautiful Lake Tahoe area, which experiences numerous bear-related issues, the Bear League can handle removing up to eight bears a day.

On Tuesday, they came to the aid of resident Ken Johnson, who had been dealing with the unsettling presence of a bear under his home for 37 days, all while he and his family were away. “We handle this regularly,” said Ann Bryant, the league’s founder and executive director. “Sometimes we crawl under the house and shoot paintballs at the bear—sometimes it’s a hit on the backside.”

In a video shared on their Facebook page, the dramatic rescue unfolds. Volunteers armed with paintball guns venture beneath the property, surprising the bear with quick shots of vegetable oil-filled pellets. They dash toward the open exit, calling out, “Go, go, go!”

Other methods caught on camera include the use of shock mats to deter bears from entering crawl spaces, alongside more traditional tactics like loud air horns and clapping.

“Every bear sighting still gets my heart racing,” said spokesperson Dave Fleischman, who helped confront the bear dubbed “Un-Bear-a-Bill.” He noted that this bear ranks among the largest he’s encountered in his three years with the league.

Founded in response to a controversial incident involving a bear named Natalie, who was unfortunately killed by a trapper, the group focuses on peaceful coexistence with bears. “Lethal measures are the last resort. Bears shouldn’t be killed for property damage,” Fleischman emphasized.

He explained that their strategies differ significantly from those of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and they often operate independently.

After a month of trying to catch the bear with various traps baited with enticing scents and food, CDFW ultimately captured the wrong animal.

In a separate but related matter, other videos on social media reveal a mother bear and her cubs nestling beneath a house, showcasing the importance of careful consideration in such situations. “If it’s a mother, relocating would endanger the newborns,” Fleischman noted, adding that the captured footage is useful for studying bear behavior.

And as for the large bear that fled from Johnson’s property? “Right now, we don’t know where it is,” Fleischman stated, reflecting the ongoing challenges these volunteers face in their unique line of work.