This is the time of year when the Game Department advises us that if we are out and about in February and run across a bear sleeping in a den to leave it alone.
Really?
I figured if I saw one, I’d climb down and harass him or her and then see if I could run fast enough to escape.
Au contraire, I would absolutely leave a bear alone if I saw it in a hole in the ground, beneath an old structure or curled up in a hollow tree.
The “Bear Team” at DWR notes that most bears den up as the temperatures fall and food becomes scarce. With abundant mast, however, they may not take their long winter’s naps.
They further state that black bears in Virginia will den in a variety of places including brush piles, trees (cavities within tree), rock outcroppings, ground nests, debris piles, and occasionally under porches or unsecured crawl spaces. Not all black bears den for the full winter season. Often, black bears that enter a winter den are females who will birth their cubs in the den or females with yearlings. Male black bears may den, but generally do not stay in a den for the entire winter due to the lack of extreme cold weather and snow across much of Virginia.
While many of us also slow down for the winter, there are still ample opportunities that take us afield in bear country. Whether enjoying a hike, cutting firewood, clearing brush, hunting, or doing other activities you may inadvertently stumble upon a black bear den. A female black bear, particularly one who has had cubs, will likely remain at the den unless they feel pressured to leave.
Just to be safe, below are a few suggestions.
- Avoid hiking in dense brushy thickets or young cutover timber stands. If you must work in these areas, be mindful of brush piles, gullies with debris piles, or storm damage areas with thickets of limbs/root balls.
- Always maintain your dog on a leash to avoid a dog-bear encounter at a den site.
- When burning a brush or debris pile on your property, look around the entire pile for signs of digging (fresh dirt, holes) or entry routes into the pile.
- If you notice large, excavated holes or fresh trails into debris or brush piles listen closely for the sound of cubs from a distance of at least 30ft away. They often emit a high-pitched cry or “squall”.
- If you find a den do not disturb it or approach the area. Leave the area and if on public property alert an employee of the location.
- If you inadvertently flush a female bear from a den, DO NOT approach the den.
- Most often when left alone the female will return to the den, although they may not return until night. Do not go back to the den area as additional disturbance may cause the bear to leave again and not return.