Many bears are emerging from hibernation at this time of year.. Males are usually the first to emerge, followed by subadults, then females with yearlings, and lastly, females with new cubs.
For the last several months, bears have not been eating or drinking and surviving on their fat reserves. Now is the time for them to get something to eat!
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, food influences behavior in bears in the spring, summer and fall. They are on the hunt to find food to replenish what they lost during hibernation. The first natural foods available are usually plants that grow around wetland areas, like skunk cabbage.
If they find your birdfeeder, they will show it no mercy. Now is a good time to take the feeders down and remove other bear attractants. You can enhance your property for birds by planting native plants and/or adding a water feature.
Most bear complaints to the Pennsylvania Game Commission come from bears attracted to a human-related food source, (like a birdfeeder, trash, small livestock, and beehives), all which can be 100% avoided.
Learn all about bear attractants around your home and how to remove or secure the source from BearWise: www.bearwise.org.
Be on the lookout for bears when traveling. They are on the move in search of food. Drive slowly and use caution in areas bears are known to frequent.
Most human-black bear encounters occur when black bears learn that there is easy-to-obtain food where people live.
Check out what to do if you encounter a bear: https://www.instagram.com/pagamecomm/
Source: Pennsylvania Game commission
