are there bears in maine

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Their survival increases as they mature. Each fall, bear hunters enter the Maine woods in hopes of harvesting a black bear. Ice storms are regular in winter and early spring, and rain is frequent in every month. A total of between 85 and 110 radiocollared female bears are monitored each year in all three study areas combined. Throughout the summer, males travel over large areas to enhance their chances for encountering mates. In late summer and fall, black bears forage widely to build fat. By 2002, permit sales peaked at over 15,000. The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maine. Harvest regulations are applied uniformly statewide, with no regional controls on hunting effort. There have been several in the bears' wilderness habitats involving hikers, hunters, and campers. 41 State House Station Nutrition plays a major role in determining the number of cubs that are produced, and cub survival through their first year. Physical Address: "It's unsettling to look out your window and see a bear in your backyard," said Falmouth Police Chief John Kilbride. Since 1975, we’ve monitored bears in four separate study areas across the state. Winter is the season of highest mortality for Maine’s deer, foxes, bobcats, and other wildlife. Hunt in Maine’s vast Highland, Katahdin and Moosehead Region stretching between our Ebeemee Lake base camp, and Mount Katahdin and Moosehead Lake to the north. Fatal bear attacks in North America have occurred in a variety of settings. Wildlife officials set traps after bears attack Berwick chicken coop. Just ask the Brewer woman who shot a video of one in her backyard. The combined effects of all these complex variables on bears are most easily measured by continually monitoring the bears' successes and failures directly in their dens. Females use areas of 6-9 miles squared in Maine. The abundance of black bears in Downeast Maine has increased over the past few years, and here at Laney’s Guide Service we have had the privilege to harvest some of the largest bears ever recorded in Maine. See our living with wildlife page to learn more about how you can minimize conflicts with bears. A large part of our bear monitoring program involves trapping and radiocollaring bears in late spring and early summer. The remaining 25% comes primarily from hunting and fishing license sales. In the lower 48 states, wild grizzly bears are found only in a section of Montana, Wyoming around Yellowstone National Park and remnant populations in sections of Idaho and extreme northwestern … With over 35,000 black bears roaming the woods in Maine, there is plenty of opportunity for hunters. A rise in permit fees in 2003 (resident $5.00 to $25.00; non-residents $15.00 to $65.00) and the down turn in the US economy have likely contributed to declining resident and non-resident hunter participation in recent years. The northcentral county is perennially the top producer of bears in Pennsylvania. Bears were bountied as vermin until 1957, but were granted game species status in 1969 when mandatory monitoring of annual harvests began. State biologists estimate there are roughly 75,000 moose roaming Maine’s rugged landscape—the largest concentration in the country next to Alaska. This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. Black bears are found in most forested areas from Mexico north to the edge of the tree line in Canada and Alaska. More recently, cubs are born in both years in northern Maine, following several years of lower but consistent beechnut crops. ! This work is possible thanks to a federal tax on firearms, ammunition and other hunting related items. A big part of managing bear nuisance problems involves modifying human behavior to lessen the number of negative bear/human interactions. This new permit was established to track hunter participation later in the season and to generate a dedicated funding source for bear research and management. The Department also changed the focus of the project by using radiocollared females in each study area to represent bears across the state that are living in similar habitat conditions to that study area. The Wells Police Department reported that there were no injuries to the driver. The first part of any management program is to have clear goals and objectives. Brown bear incidents have occurred in their native range spanning Alaska, Northern and Western Canada, and portions of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. Today, hunting pressure is more evenly distributed across the bears' range in Maine. Marathon champion Moninda Marube was chased by two bears who emerged out of the woods and charged at him while he was on a training run. Roy compared population characteristics of the bears living in these 2 study areas for his PhD. 10 Things to Know About Maine Black Bears 1. The abundance of many types of bear foods are affected by weather, which makes predicting the food supply and cub production difficult from year-to-year. Bears are not true hibernators, but instead enter torpor, a state of dormancy during which their body temperature and metabolic rate drop. From time to time, moose are seen on the island---how many there are is unknown as far as I can determine. A member of the America East Conference, the University of Maine sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Maine has a healthy and stable population of black bears – the largest in the eastern United States, in fact. Our management goals and objectives are set by interested members of the public that have reviewed and discussed the latest MDIFW bear assessment (Public Working Group). If late fall food is scarce, bears usually enter dens in October. By 1900, they were gone from the Adirondacks. Bears are long-lived animals, capable of surviving 30 years in the wild. However, each year, primarily in the spring and early summer, the Department receives numerous calls from homeowners when bears have destroyed bird feeders or disturbed garbage. Thus, the general nature of the forests of northern Maine and the bear foods they provide are very different now than they were years ago, and most likely will be different in years to come. 9. However, if they do survive and can avoid the other main cause of death — 90 percent of adult black bear mortality is due to hunting and other human activities — they can live to about 30 years old in the wild. Although, female bears remain within or near the range of their mother their entire life, male bears disperse long distances (often up to 100 miles) as subadults (1-4 years of age) prior to settling into adult ranges that may exceed 100 miles squared. One important hazard are our moose on the roads. They’ve been known to prey on young deer or moose. Forestry practices are continually evolving, which changes the world the bears live in and the food they depend on. Choosing Your Bear Hunting Guide or Outfitter. According to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website, Maine is home to the largest population of black bears in the lower 48 states and they are most active from April 1-Nov. 1. The numbers show that your very best chance to shoot a mature Maine black bear is to book with a reputable guide and outfitter. Fall foods are especially important to pregnant female black bears who need sufficient fat stores for fetal development and milk production. JAY (WGME) -- Residents in Maine are reporting bear attacks on other animals. KENNEBUNK, Maine — People in York County are being asked to be on the lookout after several bear sightings. In 1981, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife took over Roy's project and established a new study area near Bradford (north of Old Town) in 1982. For the first 8 years, Maine residents purchased the majority of permits and permit numbers fluctuated between 10,000 and 11,000 (Table 1). The Maine coastal climate has been ranked second only to the Pacific Northwest in annual precipitation, which occurs in every form. Therefore, conflicts between bears and farmers, beekeepers and orchardists, and rural residents in the State can occur. Most conflicts with bears can be prevented by removing common food attractants around homes. Bears can be hunted over bait during the first 4 weeks of the season, with hounds for a 6 week period that overlaps the last 2 weeks of the bait season, and by still hunting and stalking throughout the entire season. Nearly 50 percent of cubs don’t survive their first year, often due to starvation. Cubs enter dens with their mother the following fall. The information we use to assess the bear population and bear habitat is documented in a written bear management system (PDF) developed in1986, which contains criteria for decision-making and management options. Tracks of female bears rarely exceed 4.5 inches in width; males leave tracks up to 6 inches wide. There are many bear outfitters or bear guides to choose from. Bears are not considered efficient predators, but they are known to prey on young deer and moose in late spring, and will consume carrion. Bear cubs are born with blue eyes, which turn brown during their first summer. In January and February, female bears give birth to 1-4 cubs inside the winter den. Bears are opportunists, and feed on a wide range of vegetation and animal matter. Bears store body fat during the fall months to supply energy during their long winter denning period, and are heaviest in late fall. The variables that cause these differences are many and complicated and are not easy to predict, measure, or even identify. Many hunters find success each year but an average of 65% of successful hunters in the state hire a registered guide. To prevent conflicts with black bears each spring (April 1-October 1): Each year, primarily in the spring and early summer, the Department receives numerous calls from homeowners when bears have destroyed bird feeders or disturbed garbage. Closely tracking food production would help us explain year-to-year variations in cub production and survival. (BDN) -- Are there mountain lions in Maine?There have been frequent reports about mountain lion or cougar sightings in our state, and always they seem to be met with doubt or outright debunking. Fewer than 1 percent of Maine’s black bears die in the winter, Cross has found, their lowest mortality of any season (the state’s bear population is estimated at 31,000). A map from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shows Arundel to be in the "peripheral range" of black bear movement. Each field season of data collection still reveals unexpected surprises. Although most black bears are not much larger than humans, their weight can vary tremendously with the season of the year. Although the howl of the wolf has been mostly silent in the Northeast for over a hundred years, individual wild wolves … 1. Recent studies indicate that bears lose about 25 percent of their body weight and 29 percent of their muscle strength during torpor. Boasting the largest black bear population in six decades, Maine black bear numbers are on the increase and estimated to be 25,000 to 30,000 animals, which is far more than any other state in the Eastern United States. Maine is one of the few states in the U.S. with a sizable moose population. If you need assistance, view our PDF Help page, or email us. The spring represents a period of food stress, as most bears emerge from the den. They supplement with insects (including beetles, ants, and bee larvae) and the occasional fish, small mammal, bird, or carrion. Forestland ownership and market conditions are constantly changing as well, which also impacts forest resource management. They will try to avoid humans as much as humans try to avoid them. Augusta, ME 04333-0041, Phone: (207) 287-8000 Currently, we have three active study areas in northern, north-central and eastern Maine. The Maine black bear monitoring program is a long-term project designed to continually gather data regarding the status of our bear population. 4. They grow to 4-10 pounds by mid-late April, when the mother leads them away from the den. Black bears in Maine are normally black, but they are often various shades of brown to cream colored in western populations, and are even white, and blue-gray in color in coastal British Columbia and Alaska. The decline of the bear elsewhere has brought hunters to Maine in ever-increasing numbers. Periodic trapping efforts are necessary to maintain a representative sample of bears in each study area. About 30,000 black bears (Ursus americanus) live in New England. Although most black bears are not much larger than humans, their weight can vary tremendously with the season of the year. Males are roughly 40 inches tall at the shoulder and measure 5 to 6 feet from nose to tail; females are about 30 inches tall at the shoulder and 4 to 5 feet long. In years when fall foods are abundant, bears will feed until snow makes travel difficult, and normally enter dens in late November. This may include advice on taking in bird feeders, handling outside trash, and how to prevent damage to agricultural crops. Bears are sometimes injured or killed in vehicle collisions. ... Are there moose or bears in Acadia? North Maine Woods Black Bear Hunting. "We've had some sightings around Falmouth Rd, Bucknam Rd. Officials aren’t sure to what the increase should be attributed. That’s one reason southern Maine bears are somewhat larger on average than those to the north are. And yes, they love honey. If a female is unable to store sufficient body fat prior to entering the den, the pregnancy is terminated. Do not try to capture these bears by yourself. Harvests there in the past three years have been 243 (2016), 312 (2015) and 286 (2014). Most involved bears wounded by, and later approached by, hunters. Or the police officers who chased one Tuesday morning in downtown Ellsworth. When feeding on a concentrated food source, bears may use areas as small as several acres; when searching for dispersed food or mates, they can cover several miles in a day. Since black bears do not have any natural predators, it would be very easy for the population to grow to an unsustainable level, leading to starvation, disease, and death. To view PDF documents, you will need the free Adobe Reader. Although many people enjoy an abundant bear population, too many bears can create problems for the bears and the people who live with them. A mother bear will attack if her cubs are present. These marked males offer additional information regarding their movements and mortality when they are re-encountered through hunter harvest, roadkill or our own trapping efforts. Although they’re omnivorous, their diet is mostly vegetarian. There are many of them but they don't want to be seen. The black bear is the smallest of the three species of bears inhabiting North America (black, brown/grizzly, and polar), has the widest distribution on the continent, and is the only bear living in the eastern United States. https://mainehuts.org/discover/blog/3-most-dangerous-animals-maine-woods No. Fax: (207) 287-8094 or (207) 287-6395 Although males become sexually mature at 1-2 years of age, most do not participate in breeding until they have reached full adult size, at about 4-6 years in Maine. Usually our Bears keep themselves out of sight. Radiocollars are helpful for monitoring black bears because their secretive nature makes them difficult to observe. 8. Although black bears breed in the summer, fetal development is delayed until early winter, after the female has entered a den. Within a year, non-resident participation exceeded resident participation. Why Hire a Bear Hunting Guide in Maine. Black bears require forests for protection and food. Females are smaller, weighing 100-400 pounds, and measuring 4-5 feet in length. This post was first published in 2007 and has been updated. The program began as a study in 1975 when Roy Hugie in cooperation with the Department established 2 study areas consisting of 4 townships each - Spectacle Pond (20 miles West of Ashland) and Stacyville (near Patten). In the last 30 years in Maine, only a handful people have been injured by bears. Maine is a state where you can live through a Black Bear encounter, but you just might bite it going to get the mail on a Thursday. In addition, Maine has a small human population (1.3 million) that is mostly concentrated in the southern third of the state where bear densities are lower and therefore bear-human conflicts are less numerous. Adult males average 250-600 pounds, and measure 5-6 feet from tip of nose to the tip of their tail. For example, if we found that our radiocollared females in our study area in the northern commercial forest were particularly successful in raising their cubs in a given year, then we would assume that other females living in the northern commercial forest were also very successful. Maine has 69,050 km2 of bear habitat, consisting of mostly second-growth conifer-deciduous forest that provides an ample supply of bear foods (berries, nuts, fruits, and carrion). Black bears lead solitary lives, except for breeding pairs, family groups comprised of adult females and their offspring, and occasional aggregations at concentrated food sources. Bears can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. New England State Symbols | Honoring the Quirky, Unusual, and Delicious, Boston Museum of Fine Arts | New England by the Numbers, Yankee Magazine’s Ultimate New England Winter Guide, Yankee Magazine’s Ultimate New England Summer Guide, 63 Reasons Why We Love the Cape & Islands, Yankee Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Autumn in New England, A Gingerbread Cottage on Martha’s Vineyard | House for Sale, 5 New England Dishes Everyone Should Know How to Make. If they know of any easy food source they will use it, but they generally travel at night to avoid detection. To learn more about preventing bear conflicts in back yards, while camping, hiking, see Living with Black Bears. Because these cubs stay with their mother for 16 months and den with her the following winter, we can also determine how many cubs survive to one year of age (known as yearlings). Males can weigh as much as 250 pounds; females tip the scales around 125 to 150 pounds. 2. In order to maintain a stable bear population, we must have a good understanding of the number of bears entering the population (recruitment) to replace losses. We have found marked differences in reproduction, survival, and recruitment between study areas as well as within study areas over time while habitat and weather conditions change. A black bear got caught on camera raiding my neighbor’s beehive last summer. Maine is home to the largest population of black bears – 30,000 – in the lower 48 states, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Fog is common during June, July, and August. In September and October, trappers can set 1 foot snare or cage trap for bears. Black bears breed from May through August, with most breeding activity peaking in June and July. Trapping bears with foot-snares allows us to collar new bears to replace collared bears that have died or that have been lost due to malfunctioning collars. When they emerge from their winter den as yearling bears, they remain with their mother until she goes into estrus in the spring. Our current management goal for bears is to provide hunting, trapping, and viewing opportunity for bears. Female yearlings are equipped with radiocollars, which allow us to follow them throughout their lives after leaving their mothers the following summer. Their eyes don't glow in the head lights like other animals. Bears walk flat-footed, and their broad feet leave 5-toed tracks that sometimes resemble human footprints. Bear biologist Randy Cross knows that gathering field data is the best way to protect the future of Maine’s bears. Most conflicts with bears can be prevented by removing common food attractants around homes. Females are smaller, weighing 100-400 pounds, and measuring 4-5 feet in length. Beginning in 1990, a bear hunting permit has been required to hunt bears in September and October. 10. Unforeseen disease or insect outbreaks may influence forest composition and harvest strategies in the future. Alert: Stay up to date on Maine's COVID-19 Response, Home → Fish & Wildlife → Wildlife → Species Information → Mammals → Black Bears. Cub production has been more consistent in central Maine, where more stable fall food supplies result in nearly half of adult females giving birth each year. There are more black bears in Maine (about 8500) than anywhere east of the Mississippi. Right now, there is a yearling black bear wandering around the Southwest Harbor area, getting into some mischief as it looks for food. BLUE HILL — Bear sightings and complaints in Maine doubled during 2012. Bears are intelligent, and adapt rapidly to new food sources, including agricultural crops and food placed to attract other wildlife, such as bird feeders, and untended garbage. See More: Tracking Maine Black Bears | Photos. It is "our finger on the pulse of the bear population". Bears are … In Maine, black bears are found nearly statewide, but are most common in northern and eastern Maine and are rarely found in the heavily settled southern and central-coastal regions. For years, there haven’t been enough bear hunters taking enough bears in Maine, so the number of bears in Maine has doubled over the past 35 years, and is now estimated at 35,000. Maine’s bear population remained fairly stable through 2005, but has been increasing over the last 5 years and our current estimate is between 24,000 and 36,000 bears. I have lived in Maine for almost 30 years and have seen 1 bear here in the wild. BREWER — Bear sightings are common in Maine. When beechnuts were the primary fall food for bears in northern Maine, most cubs were born in odd-numbered years in response to alternating years of high beechnut crops. About 30,000 black bears (Ursus americanus) live in New England. All of our collared female bears are visited each winter in their dens, which allows us to determine the number of cubs born. Each year there are more black bears killed in Maine, from 740 in 1974 to 1008 in 1976. Because males often damage their ears while fighting, we also tattoo their inner lip for a permanent mark. We have learned a lot about bears in Maine over the last 35 years, but we are still discovering new things. [1] However, that doesn't mean they won't enter towns and neighborhoods. They don’t eat, drink, or excrete waste and are more easily awakened than true hibernators. 2021 Bear Hunting Season: Hunt August 30th (Arrive on the 29th) thru September 3rd; or hunt September 6th (Arrive on September 5th) thru September 10th. We regulate bear numbers primarily through annual hunting and trapping harvests. We use data collected from annual harvests and telemetry studies to guide bear management decisions in Maine. Black bear are the most timid and least dangerous of the bears found in North America. The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is found on the Pacific rim. Please report any sick or injured bears or orphaned cubs to your local Game Warden or Regional Wildlife Biologist. With limited funding, we can more efficiently measure cub production and survival directly during our winter den visits. Radiocollars send out a signal revealing each bear's location in her den as she hibernates under the winter snow. In 2004, the Stacyville study area was discontinued and a new study area was created in Downeast Maine (northeast of Beddington). The summer, fetal development is delayed until early winter, after spring... Radiocollaring bears in four separate study areas combined a mature Maine black bear caught. 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