Black Bears
- Always remember: Bears are protected in Texas!
- Species Info
- Coexisting with Black Bears
- Bear Safety in Mind: Hunter's Edition | PDF
- There are some common sense precautions people can take to prevent bear conflicts:
- Keep hunting camps clean to prevent odors that will attract bears.
- Discard gut piles far away from campsites.
- Placing deer corn in piles or in open feeders will attract more bears.
- Using an automated feeder hung out of reach of bears will decrease bear visitation.
- Switching bait types from corn to soybeans will reduce bear activity.
- Planting food plots is the best way to attract deer and avoid bear visits!
- Should you encounter a bear, remember:
- Bears are normally shy and not aggressive to humans.
- If a bear regularly visits your deer stand, scare it with rocks, a slingshot or air horn.
- If you encounter a bear at close range, talk in a calm manner while backing away slowly.
- Do not make direct eye contact.
- Do not run! This can trigger a bear's chase instinct.
- If a bear approaches you, stand your ground and raise your arms, backpack or jacket to appear larger. Yell at the bear to scare it off.
- If attacked, fight back aggressively with anything available. Let the bear know you are not easy prey. Do not play dead!