Linville Gorge — Signs at Table Rock mountain have been posted to alert hikers and others about the bears.
One came back so many times that one group put all their food back in their bus.
McKenna O'Connell showed reporter Dave Faherty what the 200-pound bear did to their bear canister.
One camper took a video as the bear repeatedly tried to get inside.
“Of course, we were making noise, being loud, doing all of the safety precautions, but the bear did not fear us at all," O’Connell said.
The bear turned its attention to the recycling bin Friday morning overturning trash cans in hopes of finding a meal.
Many of the groups camping here include teenagers who heard the bear repeatedly at night outside their tents. The next morning, they could see where the bear had scratched several of the trees near their tents.
"Definitely an annoyance for our programming, but it's also an experience,” Andrew Muhn said. “I hope I'll remember and it's also always cool to see extra ordinary wildlife out here"
The U.S. Forest Service posted signs warning campers to keep food and trash safely secured. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers teaming up with University of North Carolina-Charlotte Venture Outdoor leadership also saw the bear up close on their one night in the woods.
"They're kind of scary, but I don't think they're that dangerous unless you have food right around you, and they charge you, but they won't," counselor Alysia Plafker said.
The U.S. Forest Service wants the campers to know that the bears remember easy food sources and will keep returning for it.
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