Your chance of seeing a black bear in Sheboygan County is small but not zero, and the DNR would like to get a better idea of the exact numbers. That’s why they’re asking for the public’s help locating black bear dens across the state.
The Department of Natural Resources will begin its second year of data collection this upcoming winter. The study will generate new estimates of black bear reproductive rates within each bear management zone, improving the accuracy of the tools used to manage populations around Wisconsin. They’ll also study a connection between consumption of human food sources and bear reproduction since diet can affect survival rates and litter sizes.
Last year 13 female bears, called sows, were equipped with GPS tracking collars, the first of what’s hoped to be 100 over the next 7 or 8 years of the project, with a goal of 20 collars per zone. So far the DNR is on track to meet that goal, but public input of den locations will help ensure the most is learned about Wisconsin’s largest carnivore.
You can find out more or report a bear den sighting through this link.
This map indicates bear population densities across Wisconsin. Graphic from the WDNR
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