Curious Black Bear Investigates Man at Gatlinburg Hotel

A curious black bear approached a man holding a bucket of ice in the parking lot of a Gatlinburg, Tennessee, hotel in early July.

Crystal Bissantz captured this video of her husband and told Storyful the bear emerged from the woods, climbed over a fence and into the hotel parking lot.

“My husband stood there with a bucket of ice as the bear came up to him and sniffed him,” Bissantz said.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), black bears are common in the Smoky Mountains. The NPS advise anyone being approached by a bear not to run or turn away from the animal, and to talk loudly or shout at it. Credit: Crystal Bissantz via Storyful

Video transcript

Babe Curtis just stand there.

Just stay there hon.

Oh Curtis.

He's coming to you, dude.

You better move.

Hi Babe Curtis.

Just stand there.

Just stay there hon.

Oh Curtis.

He's coming to you, dude.

You better move.

Hi Babe Curtis.

Just stand there.

Just stay there hon all Curtis.

He's coming to you, dude.

You better move.

Hi Babe Curtis.

Just stand there.

Just stay there.

Hun Curtis.

He's coming to you, dude.

You better move.

Hi Babe Curtis.

Just stand there.

Just stay there hon oh Curtis.

He's coming to you, dude.

You better move.