‘Tis the season when our local black bears are emerging from their dens. As reported by the Summit Daily this week, a black bear even surprised a skier on closing day at Keystone Resort last Sunday. 

Male black bears, known as “boars,” start to emerge in March. Females, called “sows,” and their cubs are coming out now.

In Part 1 of this four-part series, we learned about hyperphagia, the state that black bears enter come fall when they consume as much as 20,000 calories daily to build reserves for winter survival. Part 2 discussed den life during the state called torpor. In torpor, bears reduce their breathing, heart and metabolic rates without eating, drinking or passing waste, and sows give birth to one to three cubs. Since January, these cubs have been happily nursing and gaining weight. 

So, quite understandably, our emerging ursine neighbors are ravenous. This can lead to problems when bears’ keen sense of smell encounters odors from human food or garbage, causing them to overcome their natural fear of people. This means that we humans who live and recreate in bear habitat should adjust our behavior in order to keep bears, and ourselves, property, and pets, safe.

With noses 100 times more sensitive than ours, black bears can smell food from up to 5 miles away. Bears also remember where they last found food. Human food sources tend to be high in calories compared to bears’ natural forage, so the allure is strong. 

Here are a few easy rules to ensure that we don’t endanger bears — or ourselves:

• Never put out food for wildlife that attracts bears, including bird feeders – birds will find their own food this time of year
• Secure pets and pet food out of the reach of bears
• Check trash and recycle bin latches to be sure they securely lock, and don’t place your garbage out the night before pickup
• Thoroughly clean grills after each use
• Lock bear-accessible windows and doors
• Avoid leaving food, trash, coolers, air fresheners or anything that smells in your vehicle, and lock your car doors
• Remove ripe and fallen fruit from your property
• If a bear approaches your home, try to scare it away by yelling, blowing a whistle, clapping your hands and/or banging pans

When hiking or camping, be alert for bears. Leash your pet — a handheld leash not more than 6 feet long is required by law in our local Eagles Nest, Holy Cross and Ptarmigan Peak wilderness areas. Store food and anything that smells in a bear-proof container away from your tent. Be aware of your surroundings so you don’t surprise a bear or get between a mama and her cubs.

If you are fortunate enough to see a bear, stay calm, stand up, speak calmly and confidently to distinguish your voice from that of a prey animal, pick up small children, leash your pet, pack food into your backpack and put your pack on, raise arms overhead if possible and slowly back away, giving the bear space to leave. In the highly unlikely event of an attack, fight back and concentrate blows or kicks on the bear’s face and muzzle.

Let’s respect bears and understand that we live in their habitat. Sadly, bears that learn to associate humans with food may end up dead. Remember, “a fed bear is a dead bear” — almost 100 black bears were euthanized last year in Colorado.

Don’t be responsible for the loss of these beautiful creatures. Do your part to bear-proof yourself and your property. Let’s keep bears alive and keep the wild in wildlife

“Get Wild” publishes weekly in the Summit Daily News. Frances Hartogh is a board member and volunteer wilderness ranger for the Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance.