No. 026 · mammal · Risk: Moderate
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
In season · SeptemberSouthwestSoutheastNortheast / Mid-AtlanticMidwest / PlainsMountain WestPacific WestAlaska
- Field tell
- Straight facial profile, no shoulder hump, short claws; color ranges from black to cinnamon.
- Why it matters
- Usually avoid people; most incidents involve food-conditioned bears. Fight back if attacked.
- Habitat
- Forests, berries, and anywhere food is stored poorly.
- Season
- Most active spring through fall; may den in winter depending on latitude.
BEAR ENCOUNTER
If you encounter a bear
- Stay calm. Do not run. Do not climb a tree.
- Speak in a low, calm voice and slowly back away, keeping the bear in view without staring it down.
- If the bear approaches, stand your ground, make yourself large, and ready bear spray (remove the safety).
- Black bear attack: fight back with everything you have. Grizzly defensive attack (surprise, cubs, carcass): play dead, face down, hands over neck. If it treats you as prey, fight back.
- Carry bear spray in grizzly country and know how to use it before you need it.
Not medical advice. Call 911 or Poison Control 1-800-222-1222.
Related mammals
- Mountain Lion — Tan, unspotted coat; long tail with a dark tip. Sightings are usually brief, at a distance, near dawn or dusk.
- Gray Wolf — Larger and longer-legged than a coyote, travels in packs, howls rather than yips.
- Grizzly / Brown Bear — Prominent shoulder hump, dish-shaped face, long claws; larger and more robust than a black bear.