Bear Season Begins In CT: Town-By-Town Data

CONNECTICUT — During the first weekend of April, homeowners across Connecticut reset their clocks to Black Bear Time.

The big lugs are arising from their torpor, and residents have begun filing sighting reports with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Some wildlife experts predict that a shift in climate and shortening winters in the Northeast will set black bears' internal alarm clocks earlier, perhaps before adequate food sources are available. If they awaken before their table is set for them in the wild, it's a fair bet they will be making their way to yours.

The glimpses of Yogi and his clan have been clustered in the north central area of the state, which is typical. Avon grabbed the lion's share of 55, followed by neighboring Simsbury with 53.

Bur the bear game in Connecticut is still in early innings. In 2023, bears were reported from 165 of the Connecticut's 169 municipalities.

According to DEEP's most recent State of the Bears Report, the ursine breeding population in the state is continuing on a long-term trend of expansion into more cities and towns. Over the last three years, mama bears with offspring have been reported in 117 different municipalities.

Short term, residents can expect to see more and more bears, season after season, as the beasts become more habituated to man-made structures and human behavior. That's especially true in Connecticut, where the state's bear population has a high reproduction rate compared to some other areas of black bear range, according to DEEP.

Of course, bears are all fun and games until someone loses a family pet — or worse. Reports of bears entering or breaking into homes occurred in 15 different municipalities statewide last year, and the number of serious conflicts involving bears are following a long term upward trend, according to DEEP's report. In 2023, state wildlife biologists began an initiative to educate residents on how to protect livestock, apiaries, and poultry using electric fencing.

To minimize your chances of waking up to find a bear browsing your fridge, DEEP officials suggest you hide away your bird feeders and trash cans.

The sight and smells of your backyard bird feeders attract bears, and they reward them for coming close to your home. That same principle applies to trash cans that aren't tightly covered.

DEEP officials advise Connecticut residents to remove birdfeeders and bird food from their yards from late March through November. And not only should homeowners keep garbage cans inside, the state wildlife biologists advise adding ammonia to your trash to make it unpalatable.

Remember that not all of your trash is in a plastic bag inside a bucket. Make a point of cleaning your grills after use, and the wildlife scientists at DEEP recommend you store them, minus their propane cans, in a garage or shed when they are not being used. Outside compost piles should not contain meat or sweets.