After numerous bear sightings in Halifax County and South Boston over the past month it appears that some of the bears have moved back into the woods. Local leaders give credit for that migration to the citizens who heeded wildlife experts’ suggestion of moving trash cans inside or weighing the tops down, removing bird feeders, and taking measure to protect crops. According to the Gazette Virginian one of the bears was shot recently near Halifax. A property owner elected to shoot the bear after nonaggressive measures to scare the bear off failed. The bear was invading a chicken coop on the property. Virginia allows the shooting of bears if they are damaging livestock or property. An investigation into that shooting was conducted and ruled justified by the Virginia Department of Game. Bear sightings tend to increase in the fall and according to wildlife experts there have always been bears in the area normally not as close to the town.