Black bear spotted in Callaway County – komu.com

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Updated: September 5, 2026 @ 9:07 am
This week, KOMU 8 viewer Justin Stegeman reported seeing this black bear north of Kingdom City in Callaway County, crossing U.S. 54.
Black bears can have a range of fur colors, including brown, like this bear spotted in Callaway County crossing U.S. 54.

This week, KOMU 8 viewer Justin Stegeman reported seeing this black bear north of Kingdom City in Callaway County, crossing U.S. 54.
COLUMBIA — A black bear was spotted crossing the highway in Callaway County.
A KOMU 8 viewer this week reported seeing the bear north of Kingdom City, crossing U.S. 54 near County Road 147.
Missouri’s black bear population has grown in recent years, and sightings have become more common. There are approximately 1,000 black bears in Missouri, with the core of the population concentrated south of the Interstate 44 corridor.
According to Nate Bowersock, a biologist specializing in black bears and fur bearing game at the Missouri Department of Conservation, bear territory is expanding north of I-44 to the Missouri River. This places the bear sighted in Callaway County at the northern edge of Missouri’s expanding black bear range.
Bowersock said that in most cases where bears are spotted crossing roadways, the bears are able to cross safely. However, this isn’t always the case.
Bowersock estimates that eight to 10 bears are struck by vehicles each year. In some cases, the bear escapes with minor injuries. However Bowersock says that in most bear-involved collisions, the bear does not survive. The conservation department reported that a bear was struck and killed in southern Missouri last month.
Black bears can have a range of fur colors, including brown, like this bear spotted in Callaway County crossing U.S. 54.
Black bears can have a range of fur colors, including brown, like the bear spotted in Callaway County.
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