MCCREARY COUNTY, Ky (WKYT) – In the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in McCreary County, there’s been an increase in black bear sightings.

Some of the bears are being drawn out because of the drought.

It’s actually a tourist draw in parts of Kentucky, where you’re encouraged to come out and see the wild, and with that, the “wild life.”

“And so the idea is, that they can come here and have a safe family outing, a recreational experience, and maybe see a bear,” said Tom Blount, a ranger with the US Parks Service in Stearns.

But some people have been known to take their curiosity a bit too far.

“If somebody is feeding them intentionally, then bears then associate human food and humans with something that isn’t natural,” said Blount.

Already several Kentucky campgrounds have closed because of bear sightings. US Parks Service Rangers say they’ve haven’t taken those precautions, but they encourage people to keep their food to themselves.

“If a human tries to take food away from a bear that is conditioned, then a bear is going to defend what it thinks is its own food,” said Blount.

The best way to avoid a close encounter is to follow some guidelines, and regulations, such as not leaving trash hanging out and not leaving food scraps in a fire pit.