The Michigan black bear population has been growing over the last decade. As development in the state continues and bear numbers rise, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is giving tips on what Michiganders need to know about the furry animal as spring kicks into gear.
State officials say black bears have been moving from the Upper Peninsula farther into the northern Lower Peninsula, especially along the western edge. Officials say the bear population has grown since 2012, when the DNR started limiting the number of bear hunting licenses with the goal of growing the population.
Most encounters between black bears and people are non-threatening. Jared Duquette, a human-wildlife interactions specialist within the Wildlife Division at the state DNR, said conflict between humans and bears can also often be avoided in relatively simple ways.
“Just give them space. If you see bears, just go slow, especially if you see cubs,” he told Michigan Public. “We don't want people getting in between mom and the cubs — those tend to be the most hazardous situations.”
Despite increases in bear sightings in some parts of the Lower Peninsula, Duquette said bear sightings farther south in areas like Ottawa County are less common.
“The core area where bears have increased could [be] imagined by drawing lines connecting Traverse City, Cadillac, Big Rapids, and Ludington. We have seen bears pop up as far south as Grand Haven and Saginaw, but sightings that far south are rare,” Duquette wrote in a statement to Michigan Public. “One of our research staff estimated bears expanded their range in the northern lower peninsula by 74% between 2011 and 2021.”
Michigan is home to about 10,200 bears in the Upper Peninsula and 2,000 in the northern Lower Peninsula, according to a 2023 DNR analysis. That’s a 21% and 55% increase, respectively, since 2012. Duquette said the growth was primarily due to the limitation of hunting permits.
State officials told MLive that they receive an average of 285 bear complaints every year, but there was a slight increase in these complaints in 2024. Last year, there were 303 complaints in counties like Marquette (41 complaints), Houghton (29), Charlevoix (19), Leelanau (16), and Grand Traverse (13).
Hungry black bears searching for berries, nuts, or insects to eat might come across people more frequently in the northern Lower Peninsula because more people are living there, according to Duquette. That also means there’s more bear food.
“We've seen about a 6% increase in the human population on the west side of the Lower Peninsula,” he said.
Duquette also said warm winters in recent years have caused bears to go into torpor instead of hibernating, which allows bears to wake up earlier in the year.
“So they have more time to roam and get nice and fat, maybe have more cubs, too,” Duquette said. “And so slowly over time we've seen bears taking up more space in the Lower Peninsula.”
The DNR has said it aims to increase the bear population in the Upper Peninsula, but at a slower rate, while simultaneously slowing the population growth in the northern Lower Peninsula to achieve a stable population.
Black bears have a life span of about 10 years in the wild. They range from 100-400 pounds in size as an adult.
The DNR says you should never intentionally feed a bear, and you should remove potential food sources if you live in areas with bears. Those sources include bird feed, unsecured garbage, beehives, fruit trees, and food-covered grills or picnic tables. Beehives, fruit trees, and gardens can be protected by electric fencing.
When encountering a black bear, the DNR also recommends acting S.M.A.R.T. That means:
- Standing your ground and not playing dead,
- Making loud noises while backing away slowly,
- Always providing a clear escape route for the bear,
- Rarely do bears attack, but fighting back if they do, and
- Treating bears with respect and observing them from a distance.
Duquette said it’s important to act S.M.A.R.T. when interacting with bears, because bears are smart too. While emphasizing the importance of being safe, Duquette said the opportunity to see bears can be an exciting experience.
“Not a lot of people get to see bears in person,” Duquette told Michigan Public. “...Just use your best logic and appreciate that you saw that animal.”
