An area just west of Dane County was buzzing with bear signs last month: steel-framed bird feeders flattened like empty beer cans; 40-pound bags of cocoa bean mulch dragged uphill and slashed open; huge piles of black bear scat close to houses and multiple sightings of a bear and her cub.
“Wisconsin’s bears were once considered restricted to the deep north woods, but the animals had other plans,” says David MacFarland, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manager of the state’s large carnivore program.
Because of changes in hunting regulations, Wisconsin’s bear population has grown from a low of around 5,000 in the mid-1980s to around 28,000 today. According to the Black Bear Society, only Alaska has more black bears than the Badger State. Bear sightings in southwest Wisconsin are increasing.
“We have had more bear sightings in the last five to six years in this part of the state,” says Travis Anderson, wildlife biologist for Iowa County. “I get a handful of bear reports every year. The most recent was near Blue Mound State Park. It’s good bear habitat: lots of forest and topography. Lots of food.”
Dane County biologist Andy Paulios reports that there hasn’t been a documented sighting in Dane County during the two years that he’s worked here, but he wouldn’t be surprised if bears have passed through.
“We have very wild places in Dane County. We get most of the big animals and carnivores of the state,” he says. “The western and northwestern portions of Dane County are in the Driftless Area, and if bear were going to live permanently in Dane County, it would probably be there.”
Bears will eat just about anything they can get their paws on, from grubs to grasses. When they come out of their dens in spring, they are ravenous, and food is scarce. That is when bird feeders and trash cans most often get their destructive attention.
If you see one in your backyard, don’t confront it. Once you’re sure the bear has left, remove any food source that might attract them. Put it away, lock it up, and usually within a week the bear will leave the area.
The biggest bears in the state can weigh as much as 600 pounds, but that is unusual. Most hunters would consider an animal in the 250- to 300-pound range to be a trophy-class bear, and most are smaller than that.
“They can be 6 feet tall if they stand up,” says MacFarland. “People might see rearing up as aggressive behavior, but they have really poor eyesight, so they do it to get a different perspective or better view.”
Also, bears can climb trees, and they can run 30 miles an hour,” MacFarland adds. “So don’t think you can outrun a bear.” Any animal of that size and speed should be treated with respect, but MacFarland says the risk of an attack is low.
“If you encounter a bear, talk to the animal. Yell at it. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s going to run away,” he says. “Surprising an animal is never a good thing. So keep your distance and try to make sure the bear’s best escape route is not over the top of you. It’s a bit more tricky if it is a sow with cubs. You don’t want to get between a sow and its cubs.”
Paulios agrees. “Treat wildlife like you would a dog you don’t know,” he says. “Treat it with respect, keep your distance. Any problem will usually solve itself.”