Our Mission

Our mission is to bring awareness of the dangers and impact of human interactions with black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains. Every year nearly three dozen bears are needlessly euthanized in the Gatlinburg area alone. Some are mother bears that leave cubs behind to fend for themselves, and on rare occasions even cubs are euthanized due to their interactions with humans.

While most travelers respect the space of these wild yet seemingly gentle creatures, there are far too many people that insist on stalking them to get that perfect selfie, up close photo or their very own Smoky Mountain bear story. Even worse some people think it's perfectly fine to feed them which is usually a death sentence for the bear. There is a saying that goes "a fed bead is a dead bear" and they say that for a reason.

Due to people's thoughtless interactions most bears have lost their natural fear of humans. But make no mistake, bears can and will react negatively to people invading their space, especially those with cubs nearby. When that happens, it never ends well for the bear. While some are relocated, the majority are euthanized.

Our flagship design, a black bear holding a can of tourist spray, is intended to be a lighthearted warning to remind travelers and locals alike to keep their distance while in town or on the trails. For us, bear awareness is our top priority.. 

We have elected to donate a portion of every sale to the Appalachian Bear Rescue center in Townsend Tennessee to help care for displaced or injured cubs and bears ... If you would like to make a direct contribution to their organization or become a sponsor please visit them at  http://appalachianbearrescue.org/ 

Your purchase makes a difference!  Please enjoy your visit.