BALTIMORE, MD—As spring officially starts in Maryland, the black bears are starting to come out of their dens. After a long winter, they are hungry and looking for food. The bears rely on their sense of smell to find food, and they are attracted to anything that sounds like food, including birdseed, chicken feed, dog food, and even trash.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is asking people to take precautions to avoid attracting bears to their homes. They are asking residents to remove bird feeders from April through November, store garbage in a bear-proof trash bin or in a locked garage or shed, store pet food inside and keep it unattended, and store cooking grills inside and clean them of food residue.

Black bears are usually found in Maryland’s four westernmost counties, but they can be found anywhere in central and southern Maryland during the spring. They have even been spotted in Baltimore County at times.  When they are young, they tend to wander into new areas to establish their own territory.

“Bears are wild creatures that do not rely on humans for survival, and we want to keep them that way,” said Wildlife and Heritage Director Karina Stonesifer. “Just a few simple actions taken by our residents now, like removing food sources and other attractants, can reduce the chances of attracting bears and ensure the bears stay in their more natural habitat throughout the year.”

For more information on living with black bears and bear behavior, please visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources black bear page or BearWise.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo: A black bear spotted in the Nottingham area in June 2023.