By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

The Arrival of Spring Brings the Arrival of Bears out of Hibernation

Apr 23, 2016 | 7:28 PM

BLAIRMORE:   If you go out to the woods today, be sure of a big surprise.

The bears are coming out of hibernation, and are not preparing for a teddy bear picnic. The early warm weather has had a bit of an impact on sleeping bears.

In the Crowsnest Pass, Fish and Wildlife officer, John Clarke, covers Blairmore north to the Chain lakes area along highway 22, all the way west to the continental divide between Alberta and B-C and south down to the Waterton National Park boundary.

Clarke says this is normally the time bears leave hibernation, although some are out about a week early. He notes they usually appear with the crocuses and the budding of trees.

“Some of the south facing slopes are greening up – the grizzly bears are out now – we’ve had some sightings of them already and some of the male black bears are out. Usually the male black bears come out first, and then a couple of weeks later, the females with cubs.”

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Clarke works with a Bear Smart group which counted 27 black bears and four grizzlies within 30-kilometres of the Crowsnest Pass Valley urban area last year.

“I had to move eight black bears last year and one grizzly and that was down from the year before. The previous year was 14, so eight out of 27 we had to relocate. The others we have been able to move out of the area through aversion such as noise bangers and Karelian bear dogs.”

Clarke credits the reduction in having to move bears, to the local 23-member volunteer Bear Smart program. It has gathered a lot of attention, as it has been educating residents. They also spend time helping to remove bear attractants, which can be everything from garbage to fruit not being removed from trees and shrubs in yards, or even pop can stored under a deck.

The program partners with the RCMP, protective services, waste management and the local council.

The group will also electronically track bears which Clarke has put monitors on. Clarke says that tight now, there are several black bear family groups around the community.

“We have a sow with three cubs, a sow with two cubs, and then another sow which I just found out that she is a mother because I checker her den the other day and she had a baby in there. So, now we have three family groups that we monitor and scare them away if they come near town. They can live around the community but, they can’t come in.”

Those venturing into the outdoors have to remember that they are venturing into the bear’s home. Clarke says you should take bear spray with you or noise makers, such as whistles or air horns but, also be aware of your surroundings and look for signs of bears such as tracks, scat or signs of indications that the animals have been digging for food. If the tracks of fresh, move out of the area.

If you’re going to take bear spray with you, Clarke recommends you take a Bear Smart course first, to learn how to use it, or you could be spraying yourself in a moment of panic.

***All photos supplied by John Clarke