In the thick hills of northern California, not all bears are hibernating through the winter. The Woosters, residents of a home along Walker Mine Road near Redding, have become all too familiar with two persistent black bears who refuse to sleep through the season. These nocturnal visitors are frequently seen rummaging through trash cans and scavenging pet food dishes, creating a mess for the Woosters to clean up each morning.
The smaller of the two bears first appeared during the height of the drought a few years ago, but recently, the Woosters have noticed a larger, brown-colored bear joining the nightly visits. The couple worries about the potential for more bears in the future, especially if the animals have cubs.
“We’re rethinking what we do about feeding the cats,” Keely Wooster said, noting the bears sometimes target food left out for abandoned cats in the area.
Living in one of Shasta County’s bear hotspots, the Woosters are not alone in their struggle. According to Jennifer Carlson, a biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the department receives over 100 calls each year from Shasta County residents about bear issues, with many incidents occurring around Lakehead, Lake Shasta, and Shasta Lake.
Statewide, the CDFW recorded over 6,000 reports of human-bear conflicts from 2017 to 2022. Black bears are most active during the spring, summer, and fall months, but not all bears in the lower elevations of Redding hibernate in the winter. Hibernation tends to occur in higher elevations, where colder temperatures and limited food resources make it harder for bears to survive.
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In the North Coast and Cascade regions, which host about half of California’s black bear population, bears can remain active through winter if they have access to food. According to the CDFW, bears’ ability to hibernate depends on the availability of food—if they can find enough to eat, they do not need to enter hibernation. However, once food sources dwindle, they will likely hibernate. Bears are opportunistic feeders and are quick to scavenge human food, including trash and pet food.
Bear problems, such as the Woosters’ ongoing issues, have been common in California, with thousands of reports each year. The state’s wildlife conservation guidelines encourage property owners to take preventative measures, such as removing attractants, using bear-proof containers, or installing electric fencing.
Daniel Hernandez, a nearby resident, had his own bear issues after moving into his hilltop home. After noticing a bear tearing through his trash, he attempted various measures, including strapping the trash can lid down. While the bear persisted for a while, Hernandez said the problem ceased once the rains came, leaving the other wildlife, like deer, to take the bears’ place.
As California’s bear population remains stable, the challenge of coexisting with these large, opportunistic animals continues. To prevent conflicts, wildlife experts stress the importance of managing food attractants and minimizing access to human food. With bears’ behaviors passed down from mothers to cubs, the cycle of conflict could continue across generations unless homeowners take action.
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