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Bear hibernationCalifornia

When Do Bears Hibernate in California?

California bears are feeding hard before winter, and go into their dens between November and December.

Today, October 13

The bears

Fattening up

Bears start going into their dens in early November.

Bird feeders

Feeders stay down most of the year

Bears here den late and wake early: by California Fish and Wildlife's den and wake months, January and February are the only months most are in their dens. So the window is short, about eight weeks: up in early January, down again in early March.

Where these dates come from

Photo: “Black bear on a snowy spring day”, Neal Herbert, National Park Service, Public domain

Dens and feeders in California

By California Fish and Wildlife's den and wake months
November to December
Into the den
per California Fish and Wildlife
March to May
Out of the den
per California Fish and Wildlife
Early January
Feeders up
once the dens are full
Early March
Feeders down again
when the first bears wake

Bears go into their dens over several weeks and come out over several more, so each is a span. Feeders go up once the dens are full and come down again as the first bears wake. Bears here den late and wake early, so feeders are up only about eight weeks a year.

The sources

The dates, in the agencies’ own words

Into the den

Bears in California go into their dens between November and December.

They generally enter their dens (which may be under fallen logs, in vegetation thickets, high up trees, in crevices, or even under decks and patios) in November-December and will remain there from a few weeks to several months depending on local climate and other conditions.

California Fish and Wildlife, Black Bear, read October 13, 2026

Out of the den

They come out between March and May.

Bears emerge from their dens in the spring, usually between March-May.

California Fish and Wildlife, Black Bear, read October 13, 2026

The bird feeder

Up in early January, down again in early March: about eight weeks a year. California Fish and Wildlife says to take feeders down while bears are active, in the words below. The dates are when dens are full and when bears start waking, by California Fish and Wildlife's den and wake months.

Remove bird feeders from yard.

California Fish and Wildlife, Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Black Bears, read October 13, 2026

Bears in California

Black bears are distributed throughout much of California.

California Fish and Wildlife, Black Bear, read October 13, 2026
A dark opening dug into a hillside underneath a large grey fallen tree trunk, with green plants around it
A bear den under a fallen tree in Yellowstone, photographed in late May. Under fallen trees is one of the den sites BearWise names, along with hollow trees, dug out mounds and nests under briar patches. “Bear den underneath a fallen tree”, Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service, Public domain
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Month by month

The California bear year

Where the bears are in each month, from the den and wake months above, and where the feeder stands.

  1. January: In the den, feeders up
  2. February: In the den, feeders up
  3. March: Waking up, feeders down
  4. April: Waking up, feeders down
  5. May: Waking up, feeders down
  6. June: Out and hungry, feeders down
  7. July: Out and hungry, feeders down
  8. August: Out and hungry, feeders down
  9. September: Fattening up, feeders down
  10. October: Fattening up, feeders down, this month
  11. November: Denning now, feeders down
  12. December: Denning now, feeders down

Up and Down mark where the feeder stands in the middle of each month. Feeders are up here only about eight weeks a year, so most months read Down. The bar for this month is outlined.

Sightings

When California bears are seen

The months people report black bears in California on iNaturalist, from every year, and the reports from the last 30 days.

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9,787 research grade black bear reports from California on iNaturalist, all years, by the month they were seen. Most come in August, fewest in February. Counted September 19, 2026. The bars count sightings people logged, not bears.

Reading the last 30 days of bear reports from iNaturalist.

Bears out in winter

How easily a denned bear is roused, in the words of NJ Fish and Wildlife:

While in torpor black bears are capable of being easily awakened if disturbed and they may leave their dens on mild winter days in search of food.

NJ Fish and Wildlife, Black Bear Biology and Behavior, read October 13, 2026
A cinnamon brown black bear walking through low shrubs and dry grass
A black bear at Great Sand Dunes, photographed by the park in spring as bears were coming out of their dens, hungry. “Black Bear, Great Sand Dunes National Park”, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Public domain
Questions

Bears in California: questions and answers

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By state

Bear hibernation in the other 41 states

Other guides for California

Bear Season in CaliforniaFall activity and hunting dates by state.Hummingbird Migration in CaliforniaWhen hummingbirds arrive and leave, and when to take feeders down.Winter Backyard Birds in CaliforniaThe top feeder birds by state, December to February.Attic Wildlife in CaliforniaWhen you may and may not evict animals from an attic.Bear Hibernation in every stateDen, wake and feeder dates for all 42 states, with the eight that have no dens.

Den, wake and feeder sentences are quoted from California Fish and Wildlife, nearby agencies where named and BearWise, read October 13, 2026. The phase and the feeder verdict are worked out from those months and today’s date. Bear reports are research grade iNaturalist observations of the American black bear, counted September 19, 2026.