WATCH: Huge Black Bears Fight In NJ Home's Yard

LONG VALLEY, NJ — North Jersey residents hear warnings about black bears all the time: don't feed them, lock up the trash, don't get too close.... but they don't normally hear warnings about massive black bear brawls.

For one Sussex County man, that warning might have come in handy earlier this week. Corey Bale caught two large black bears fighting outside of his Frankford Township home. In a video widely shared online, the two bears can be seen biting and clawing at each other's faces.

Bale said he believed the two male bears were fighting over a female bear, who was hiding behind a shed. The fight ended with "chunks of bloody hair in the yard," showing that it was a real fight and not just play.

This was the first time Bale saw bears fighting in his yard, but told Patch he sees bears a few times a week.

Bale kept a sense of humor about what could have been a scary experience. "I had to break them up, sorry I didn't video it but I needed both hands," Bale joked in the Facebook comments.

Watch the bear fight below (strong language is used; viewer discretion is advised):

Black bears are native to New Jersey, and tend to cluster in the less developed areas of the state, like Sussex County. The bear population has grown over the past several decades, and New Jersey bears have the largest litters and highest reproduction rates in the nation, the NJ DEP says.

The odds of being hurt by a black bear are minuscule; just one bear-related death has been reported in state history. Aggressive or dangerous bears can be reported to local police stations, and DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife at 1-(877)-WARN-DEP.

Although bear-related incidents remain rare, there are steps you can take to keep safe if you do spot a bear:

• Remain calm. Do not run!
• Make the bear aware of your presence by making noise. Leave an escape route for the bear. If the bear does not leave, slowly back away.
• If the bear approaches, stand your ground and be assertive. Make yourself look big by waving your arms. Stay together as a group. Toss rocks or sticks.
• If a black bear attacks, fight back! Do not play dead!
• Never feed a bear. It is Dangerous and Illegal. Fed bears can become habituated and may need to be killed to protect public safety.
• When hiking and camping, make sure your campsite is secure and clean. Read more camping and hiking tips here.