In 2012, state officials were concerned to see the black bear population dwindling. As a response, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) restricted bear hunting in hopes of a recovery.
Now, a decade later, they’re seeing results. Black bear numbers have increased by 70% in the lower peninsula and 25% in the upper peninsula since 2012.
Cody Norton is a large carnivore specialist with the Michigan DNR. He said bears are an important part of a healthy, functioning ecosystem.
“Our target has revolved around what the population is doing," Norton said. "We have been trying to stabilize the population in the northern lower for quite some time. We backed off on harvest and saw that population grow very rapidly.”
Norton said it's rare for bears to harm people. If people come across a bear, he said they should stand their ground, make themselves appear larger, and back away slowly.
The Michigan DNR estimates show there’s around 12,000 black bears across the state. Black bear hunting is still allowed in Michigan, with the appropriate license.