Cherokee Sage Woman

This is what is running around loose in my neck of the woods!
It's not uncommon to spot one of these guys in the forest. It's true, a bear does sh*t in the woods.. But please, not in my back yard!
A few months ago, one visited & left scratch marks on my friends truck.. also tore off a side of the bird feeder.
A few weeks ago, one bashed out the rest of the feeder, as well as scratching up the bark of a tree (about 8 ft up)
Needless to say, I haven't been refilling that feeder.
We are on the edge of a Black Bear Sanctuary, here in the Cherokee Forest. So every deranged & crazed bear trapped in the state, is brought here & released.
They come around looking for berries, trash, rednecks.. whatever..
The neighbor called last evening & said the bear had been visiting his yard each night, & his dogs had ran it off each time. Somehow I can't see my chihuahuas doing a whole lot of running anything off. Even the feral cats yawn in their yapping faces.
Neighbor says I shouldn't be taking any long walks away from the house, until this guy is captured or scared off. (So there goes those plans for the 5K up the mountain..ha)
Dan is out of town, & I am hearing every crackle & pop during the night. We have firearms here in the house, but my knowledge of them is so scarce, I'd probably end up just throwing them at the bear.
Guess I'll have to depend on the guardian angels to keep the 'bar' at bay.
Where's a bear-whisperer when you need one?