03/17/2026
It seems spring is here early, and the arrival of warmer weather means black bears will be emerging from winter dens and actively searching for food. This includes mother bears with new cubs of the year and quite often their yearling offspring as well that were born the year before. After months without eating, adult bears and yearlings are hungry and especially motivated by strong smells. The cubs, meanwhile, will learn everything from their mother, including where to find food and what’s safe to eat. With more hungry bears soon on the landscape, it’s especially important to remain vigilant in keeping bears from accessing human-sourced food and garbage. Secure trash in bear-resistant containers, remove bird feeders and keep outdoor grills and cooking areas clean. Preventing bears from becoming dependent on human-sourced food keeps them wild and largely free from conflict. CDFW provides a number of best practices on preventing human-bear conflicts at the following web page: https://wildlife.ca.gov/HWC/Black-Bears
