The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is telling people to keep an eye out for black bear dens this winter, and to report them to the DNR.
According to the DNR, bears typically enter dens in November and December, depending on their location in the state. Reporting den locations to the DNR helps support bear management programs.
“Finding winter den locations is an important component to managing black bear populations, and we need hunter, trapper and landowner assistance to add new den sites to the program in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula,” said Mark Boersen, wildlife biologist at the DNR Roscommon Customer Service Center. “Currently, we are monitoring six bears from the ground and aircraft using radio tracking equipment.”
The DNR said bears select dens in locations that provide shelter from the elements, which include areas with dense vegetation, rock crevices or excavated holes.
Dens may also look like brush piles covered in snow or excavated holes in the ground – as both have an icy opening to vent fresh air.
If you see a den, stay quiet and listen for any sounds coming from within. You may even hear cubs nursing or crying.
Keep a safe distance away and avoid disturbing the den or the bears inside.
To notify the DNR, first record the location, using GPS coordinates if possible, and then report it to DNR staffers. They are: Upper Peninsula: Cody Norton at 906-202-3023 or NortonC3@Michigan.gov. Northern Lower Peninsula: Mark Boersen at 989-275-5151 or BoersenM@Michigan.gov.
After they get a notification, DNR biologists will determine if the animal is a good candidate for joining the ongoing project. If it's selected, a bear will be sedated, fit with a collar and ear tags, and biologists will collect information like sex, weight, body measurements and reproductive history.
Again, the DNR reminds people to leave the den alone and it is illegal to disturb a bear den or disturb or harm a bear in its den.
