Time to take in those bird feeders: Bears are back

Mar 30

Written By HVNY

After a long winter, respite is on the way with warming days and buds breaking on branches across the Hudson Valley. Not only is the flora and fauna beginning its seasonal return, but Black bears (Ursus americanus) are also emerging from their 5-month-long hibernation, and they are hungry, and large, and will remember where there is food available, and keep coming back.

“If an activity results in food, they will repeat that activity,” officials with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation say.

Black bears are omnivorous, eating grasses, berries, fruit, nuts, seeds, insects, grubs, and carrion, as well as human sources of food like corn, honey, bird seed, trash, and pet food when available.

But bird feeders are the cause of over 80-percent of bear problems around homes, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. That’s why the NYS DEC highly recommends that bird feeding activities cease by April 1, as bear activity increases. Bird feeding can resume November 30.

Birds do not require supplemental feeding, especially during the warmer months of the year, but bears are intelligent and will remember where they find food, especially after a long winter. Officials say, if bears successfully find bird seed at one home, they will inevitably approach other nearby homes. If bears become accustomed to feeding in yards and around homes and people, they may cause property damage and will likely become chronic nuisances.

Bear facts:

An average adult male weighs about 300 pounds while females average about 170 pounds. The dressed weight of the heaviest 2025 reported bear, harvested in the town of Olive, Ulster County, WMU 3C was 562 pounds.
Estimated at a minimum of 6,000-8,000 bears in areas open to hunting in New York State
Bears now occupy most areas of the state except Long Island and New York City, with 30-35-percent of the population inhabiting the Catskill region.
The age of the oldest bear harvested in 2024 (the most recent year for which age data are available) was 26-years-old. The bear was harvested in the town Mooers, Clinton County.
Hunters harvested an estimated 1,759 black bears during the 2025-26 hunting seasons. According to DEC’s tracking of the annual bear harvest since 1955 (PDF), the 2025 statewide bear harvest was second only to the 2003 season, and Southern Zone estimates set a new harvest record.

Tips on avoiding conflicts with black bears:

Make the first move: Remove bird feeders, take in any food left outside for pets, store garbage bins indoors.

A black bear usually has been nearby if you see clawed trees around 4-7 feet off the ground. Other indicators are black bear scat, black and in a pile, or ground digging spots.
If you see a black bear or are in an area where black bears may be, make noise. They will go away if they hear you. Avoid areas with berry bushes, or heavy bush areas.
If you do encounter a bear, NEVER run away; back away slowly. DO NOT stare, photograph them with large lens camera, feed them, climb a tree, or pet their cubs (!).
If you see a bear, walk away slowly at a 45-degree angle in the direction you came from. Speak to yourself in a calm, appealing tone. Keep your eyes on the bear to see how it will react.
If the bear is grunting and snapping their jaw, this is a sign you’re too close. If they start jumping up and down, that’s the second warning that you’re too close.

To reduce the chance of negative black bear encounters around your home, DEC recommends these precautions:

Never feed bears! It is illegal, dangerous and detrimental to bears. If you believe bears are being fed in your area, or suspect a nuisance bear situation, report it to DEC immediately.
Take down bird feeders by April 1. Birds do not need supplemental food in the spring and summer, when natural foods are most abundant (even if you believe your birdfeeder to be inaccessible to bears, the bird seed will drop seed on the ground, which attracts bears to your yard).
Clean off barbeque grills before nightfall (don't forget the grease trap), and if possible, store grills inside when not in use.
Store garbage in a secure building or location, secure can lids with ropes/bungees/chains, never over-fill cans, and dispose of garbage as frequently as possible.
If you live in an area where bears may occur, put garbage containers out by the curb just before the scheduled pick-up, not the night before.
If you live in a densely populated bear area, consider using a certified bear-resistant garbage container.
Clean garbage cans frequently with ammonia products.
Do not burn garbage, it is illegal and can attract bears.
Do not add meat scraps, bones or melon rinds to your compost pile.
Feed pets indoors and store pet food indoors. If pets must be fed outside, immediately remove all uneaten food and dishes.