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Bears On The Prowl After Waking Up From Hibernation

CHELMSFORD (CBS) - It's a spring awakening and the weather is not only joyful for humans. Bears are waking up from hibernation and they are causing a stir in Chelmsford.

Lou DiStasi is looking over his shoulder these days whenever he is outside in his yard, all because of a big, furry visitor.

Bears in Chelmsford
The bear left his footprint behind. (WBZ-TV)

"He wants the top of that bird feeder," DiStasi said.

Four out of the last five nights, a very large black bear has been rummaging through his property. He is hungry and on the prowl.

Lou was able to get video of the gigantic bear. "He was just huge. He's enormous, when he stood up at the top of the clothesline, and then twirled it around, he was well over six feet tall. We have a circle in this neighborhood and everyone walks the neighborhood, and everyone is like 'we don't want to go out at night,'" DiStasi said.

Bear
Bear spotted in Chelmsford (WBZ-TV)

DiStasi's neighbor, Chris Perkins, had the same experience with a bit more damage.

"He actually got off of that table where he was perched," Perkins said. "He came right over my four foot chain link fence, completely crushing it to the ground. Did a lot of damage, he's a very big, heavy bear. He proceeded to go up and check my birdfeeder where the seeds had spilled to the ground."

Bears in Chelmsford
The bear damaged Chris Perkin's fence when he climbed over it. (WBZ-TV)

Wildlife experts say that the bears are waking up right now and that we should remove any food sources from yards.

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