Like in other Northeastern States, Massachusetts is seeing a rise in it's Black Bear population....Our putting out bird feeders is a big source of easy fat for the bears....Food habituation in and around our communities is something we must work very hard at to prevent...........Remember that a human fed bear often ends up being a dead bear...........Something, that we do not want to see occur

By Charlie Breitrose

Hide your birdfeeders, lock down your trash cans and keep an eye on your yard - bears are on the roam.
Black bear sightings have been reported in Bellingham, Blackstone, Hopedale, Upton, Franklin and elsewhere in the region. One even found its way into the city of Worcester in late May.

Laura Hajduk, leader of the state Division of Fisheries & Wildlife's furbearer and black bear project, said she is not surprised to hear the reports. "It has a lot to do with the time of year. This time of year is the mating season and adult males are roaming great distances looking for females," Hajduk said. "Also, this time of year, yearling bears have been with mothers for the last 16 or 17 months, have been pushed out and are out on their own."

Black bears were rare in Massachusetts in the 1970s, but now their numbers are on the rise. According to MassWildlife, the bear population has grown from about 100 in the early 1970s to about 3,000 in 2005.Hajduk said bears are being seen more in the eastern part of the state.She said she is not surprised bears are showing up in Blackstone, Bellingham, Upton and Hopedale. "West of there, there are a lot of wooded area, chunks of forest," Hajduk saiid.

Bears have been seen in Groton this year, and last year there were sightings in Plymouth and Attleboro. Bears looking for a snack will go into people's yards, she said. One of their favorites is bird food. "They are very, very attracted to birdfeeders. It is their candy," Hajduk said. "They will take a lot of time to get into their birdfeeders. We have seen pictures of bent-down poles to get the feeders."

Hajduk recommends taking down bird feeders after winter, because come spring bears will be hungry and searching for an easy meal.  "Bears go into their winter dens, depending on year and conditions, from November to the beginning of December," Hajduk said. "People can have their birdfeeders out during winter months - from the end of December to February or early March, when bears are less likely to be active."

Bears may have a fearsome reputation, but the black bears in Massachusetts rarely harm humans.
"If you see one, enjoy the fact that you've seen a black bear," Hajduk said. "As with any wildlife, enjoy them from a distance, and if in your house, make noise. As big as bears are, they are typically scared of people."Making a loud noise, such as clapping your hands or banging on a pot or pan, will drive them off, she said. "Bears have good memories, and if they find food in one spot, they might come back again," she said. They may also go after trash, Hajduk said, so lids should be kept tightly on garbage cans.