Bears to Start Coming Out of Hibernation

We’re approaching spring and that means hibernation is almost over for a number of animals.

That includes one of the most dangerous, Michigan black bears, and they’re going to be hungry. People may start seeing them wandering onto their property looking for an easy meal.

Black bears will often find bird feeders to sift through as well as garbage cans. It may be a good idea to take them inside before these large animals can get a hold of them. “They have good memories for places they’ve found in the past,” said John Pepin, public information officer for the Michigan DNR. “So if you’ve had problems with bears in the spring time before, that’s an indicator that you might have some problems again. You want to be sure to get any food sources out of the way.”

While black bears are usually skittish and will run away from humans on sight, they still can pose a serious threat, especially if it has cubs around. If you come across one, it’s a good idea to look intimidating. “Basically, you want to make yourself look big and clap your hands and yell at the bear,” Pepin said. “Usually when black bears see people they take off before people really get the best look at them.”

More black bears should start appearing as we approach the end of march.