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KANNAPOLIS, N.C.--A slew of black bear sightings made for an interesting weekend in Kannapolis. 911 calls started pouring in Friday night into Saturday afternoon.

"There is a black bear out here on East First Street! It's the strangest thing I've ever seen,” said one caller in tapes released by the Kannapolis Police Department.

"From a distance I thought, 'Oh what a big dog!''' said another caller.

Some said they spotted a large bear, others described a small one. The sightings started on West C Street, moved on to the Jackson Park area and even made it to South Cannon Boulevard.

Officers were never able to catch up with the possible duo. By Monday, the bears appeared to be gone.

"If you're in the Kannapolis area and you see a bear, count yourself lucky. You've seen a wild bear, that 's pretty cool,” said Sgt. Anthony Sharum with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

He said bear sightings are on the rise as the population continues to grow and their natural habitats continue to diminish. He stressed that if you leave the bear alone, everything should be okay.

"Very few bear attacks are attributed to black bears and here in North Carolina, it's extremely rare for an unprovoked attack," he added.

The Wildlife Commission says you can only shoot a black bear if it poses an immediate threat to your safety. Those caught shooting bears for sport face criminal charges

Sharum said they're mainly on the hunt for food. To keep your area clear, keep all outside food sources covered, mainly garbage bins, pet food bowls, and barbecue grills.