Bears may be active at any time of day. Except for during the mating season in late June and July, when males and females are together for mating, and for sows with cubs, bears are generally solitary animals. Females reach maturity during their third year. Females normally have cubs every other year during hibernation. The normal number of cubs is two, although from one to four cubs are possible.
Do not be mislead by the bulky sluggish looks of a black bear. They can easily outrun any man, and unless exceptionally fat, they can climb trees faster that most people can run on the ground. Bears at the end of their first summer would normally weigh between 45 and 65 pounds, and older bears up to 400 pounds and more. Most bears are between 100 and 250 pounds. Larger ones are not common.
A wild black bear's normal inclination when people are nearby is to leave the area. It is suggested that hikers always let a black bear know of the hikers' presence. One method is for hikers to wear bells. The purpose is to prevent the bear from being unnecessarily startled, and to allow it to follow its natural proclivity to leave. Hikers should avoid situations where they might get quite close to a bear and then accidentally surprise it. There are numerous stories of people who have accidentally come too close to bear cubs and have been "attacked" by the sow. Usually in such cases the sow charges the person and stops a few yards away while angrily growling, chomping and popping its mouth, and generally letting the person know it is not happy. If you are ever in this situation it is my recommendation that you do not move! Pretend you have seen Medusa and have turned to stone! Let the bear vent it's anger, but stand your ground. The bear will eventually leave. Wait until it is completely out of sight and hearing distance, or you may be treated to a second breathtaking, heart pounding performance. You may also be forced into using Grecian Formula for your new grey hair!
Black bears normally eat plants, fruits, berries, nuts, roots, fish, small animals, insects, honey and carrion. They will also eat whatever else they can get that smells like food to them, including garbage and campers' food. They have an exceptionally good sense of smell, and have been known to detect backpackers' food which was totally sealed in plastic.
Everyone has heard that it is best not to feed bears, but few people seem to know why. It is not to avoid upsetting the bears' stomachs. First, someone purposefully feeding a bear may run our of food prior to the bear running out of appetite. This will undoubtedly displease the bear and may be detrimental to the structural integrity of the person's body. Second, it causes bears to lose their fear of man. the less afraid they become, the more bold they become. They will go through a stage where they are still afraid of humans but will search out camps to look for food. During this stage, we might refer to them as "friendly" bears. Friendly bears eventually turn into terrible pests which are potentially dangerous. We might refer to these as "fearless" bears. There is nothing quite so bad in the woods while you are camping as a 250 pound fearless bear wanting to share your meal. Remember, such bears are not tame; they are completely wild, but without any fear of man.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State of Michigan, Department of Tourism
Due to the unusually warm winter and the early spring, an increase in
bear activity has been observed.
People camping, fishing, sightseeing and backpacking should be on the
alert for bears.
As a precaution, the following are suggested.
All are encouraged to eat plenty of garlic, which will create a scent
about you.
Also it is suggested that you wear little bells around your neck and
ankles so as not to startle the bears.
As both grizzly bears and black bears are common in Michigan, the
following is a quick profile of how to determine what type of bear
frequents the area you are in by the droppings you find.
The black bear droppings will consist mostly of wild berry pits and
occasionally undigested foliage or a pizza box.
The grizzly bear droppings will differ greatly. They will contain a
sizable amount of bones, smell of garlic and have little bells mixed in.
Hopefully this advisory will be of help to all concerned.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
