BearWise helps people live responsibly with bears

BearWise® is the program you can trust for sound information and smart solutions that help homeowners, businesses and communities coexist with bears.

What To Do if You See a Bear
Tips to Avoid Bear Encounters
Download Outreach Materials

From the BearWise Article Bank

How to be BearWise

black-bear-in-crawlspace

Will bears find a good winter den at your place?

Every day an estimated 6,000 acres of open space are converted to other uses, according to the US Forest Service. That's more than 2 million acres a year of forests, grasslands and wetlands that are now growing homes, communities, businesses and other developments. Less available land and more people means ...

Read More

The Bear Facts

Bear den locations may surprise you

When you think about a bear den, what comes to mind? A hollow tree? A cozy cave? How about a pile of abandoned tires? Or under your porch? Bears can den up in all those places and many more. Bears are flexible, creative and opportunistic; they will crawl into dens ...

Read More

BearWise in the News

m

City of Gatlinburg, Smokies BearWise Taskforce, TWRA to host educational Bear Management Open House (TN, August 2024)

“City of Gatlinburg, Smokies BearWise Taskforce, TWRA to host educational Bear Management Open House”

July 23, 2024  |  City of Gatlinburg, Press Release
Gatlinburg, TN

Tags: August 2024, Smokies BearWise, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
m

Great Smoky Mountains closes 3 trails and a campsite due to bear activity (TN, August 2024)

“Great Smoky Mountains closes 3 trails and a campsite due to bear activity”

August 13, 2024  |  10 News
Knoxville, TN

Tags: August 2024, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
m

‘Sick and frustrated’ | Appalachian Bear Rescue takes in 3 more cubs after TWRA euthanizes 2nd mother bear in less than a week (TN, August 2024)

“‘Sick and frustrated’ | Appalachian Bear Rescue takes in 3 more cubs after TWRA euthanizes 2nd mother bear in less than a week”

August 6, 2024  |  10 News
Knoxville, TN

Tags: July 2024, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
m

Watch: Sneaky black bear casually opens car door searching for a snack in Gatlinburg (TN, July 2024)

“Watch: Sneaky black bear casually opens car door searching for a snack in Gatlinburg”

July 29, 2024 | Oakridger
Knoxville, TN

Tags: Avoid Bear Encounters, BearWise In the News, July 2024, Know What To Do If You See a Bear, Smoky Mountains, Stash & Latch Food & Trash, Tennessee
m

Bear safety efforts underway in Gatlinburg after recent encounters (TN, July 2024)

“Bear safety efforts underway in Gatlinburg after recent encounters”

July 9, 2024  |  MSN
Gatlinburg, TN

Tags: Avoid Bear Encounters, Bear Habitat, Bear Populations, Bear resistant containers, BearWise In the News, clean grills, July 2024, Know what to do if you see a black bear, Never approach bears, Never feed bears, Remove Food and Garbage, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Read More
Read More BearWise Articles
Subscribe to our emails

Six At-Home BearWise Basics

Never Feed or Approach Bears

Intentionally feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. Learn More

Secure food, garbage and recycling

Food and food odors attract bears, so don’t reward them with easily available food, liquids or garbage. Learn More

Remove bird feeders when bears are active

Remove bird feeders when bears are active

Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, so they’re very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears. Learn More

Never Leave Pet Food Outdoors

Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove bowls afterwards. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it. Learn More

Clean and Store Grills, Smokers

Clean and Store Grills, Smokers

Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out. Learn More

Alert Neighbors to Bear Activity

See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share info on how to avoid bear conflicts. Learn More

Did you know that not all black bears are black? Black bear is a species; common colors include black, brown and cinnamon.

Do you spend time outdoors

…hiking, walking, cycling, jogging, camping?

Read how to Be BearWise Outdoors.

A black bear sow and her two cubs stand in a forest clearing - Ontario, Canada

Sampling of BearWise Educational Materials

Visit BearWise Store to Find More

The Black Bear Comeback

Black bears once roamed over all of America’s forested lands. But after European settlement, their numbers and habitat dwindled. Thanks to new attitudes and enlightened conservation and management efforts, black bears are making a dramatic comeback over much of their historic home range. Now that bears are returning to areas they used to call home, it’s up to people and communities to learn how to peacefully coexist with these amazing animals.

BearWise shares ways to prevent conflicts, provides resources to resolve problems, and encourages community initiatives to keep bears wild.

BearWise AFWA logo

BearWise® is a program of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Read more About BearWise.

Top photo courtesy of Steve Uffman
The BearWise® name and logos are registered trademarks of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.