Minnesota’s Black Bear Range Expanding To New Areas Of State

Black bears are being encountered more in new places in Minnesota. Most of the black bears in the state are in the northern third, but the DNR is starting to see a shift. They need your help to track the patterns.

How many black bears are in Minnesota?

The Minnesota DNR estimates that the black bear population is somewhere between 13,000 and 18,000 bears. It's hard to get a good count, because black bears are naturally reclusive. They seek shelter in the winter, and in the summers they spend most of their time in the dense forest and swamps. The best way to gauge the population is through bear hunting statistics and numbers.

Most black bears are found in Northern Minnesota

Northeast Minnesota has the habitat that bears like. The dense forests provide cover, and it's less populated. There's even a bear sanctuary near Orr, Minnesota, where you can see a ton of black bears that migrate every summer from hundreds of miles around.

Black bears are expanding southward and westward.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been noticing a slow expansion of the black bear range in Minnesota. They are trying to document the expansion and study the bears. They have a section on their website where you can report a bear sighting. That will help them better understand their expansion.

Read More: Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary Shares First Bear Of Season

If you have a nuisance bear, you are supposed to call your local wildlife manager or conservation officer.

Interactive Map Shows Bear Sightings

Bear sightings show up on an interactive map for areas outside of their primary range. They turn off the viewing part of the map during bear hunting season. As you can see on the map, more bears are being sighted in central Minnesota, with a number of sightings near the Twin Cities Metro area.