Blake Shelton Joins Oklahoma Researchers to Study Bear Cubs

Blake Shelton recently spent a day in the great outdoors of Eastern Oklahoma dedicating his time to a special research…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

March 9, 2021

2:26 pm

Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton recently spent a day in the great outdoors of Eastern Oklahoma dedicating his time to a special research project involving black bears.

As the Board Director of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Shelton was joined by researchers with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) and Oklahoma State Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, who collected data from bear cubs in the area.

According to the OWCF, Shelton watched on as bear biologists recorded weight, chest girth, sex and any distinguishing marks from a bear cub and also tagged him with a tracker (similiar to a microchip) so that researchers can continue to study the bear as he or she grows.

The group quickly returned the bear to its den to be with its mother, who they also track with a tracking collar.

Researchers in the area have been contributing to the black bear project for two decades.

Shelton took time for a photo opp with the adorable cub while on site.

The country superstar recently released his latest single, “Minimum Wage.” The music video was filmed by his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Todd Stefani, at Ole Red in Shelton’s hometown of Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

Although Shelton spends quite a bit of time in Los Angeles with his fiancée, he returns to his native Oklahoma often. Last fall, the award-winning artist invited foster children to join him for a day of fishing on his Oklahoma property in partnership with Fostering Outdoor Oklahoma Families, a program designed to introduce foster children and their families to the outdoors.

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Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.