When Do Bears Hibernate in Florida?

They den, more lightly than bears farther north. Florida bears go into their dens between November and early January and come out between March and April, by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries' den and wake months. Florida Fish and Wildlife: “In Florida, while males and females that are not pregnant may den in dense vegetation for only a few weeks or a month, pregnant females must den for the winter to have cubs.”

Between November and early January. These are Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries' den months, used here for Florida: “Louisiana black bears enter dens between November and early January, depending on latitude, food availability, gender, age, reproductive status, and climatic conditions (Weaver 1990, Hightower et al. 2002).”

Between March and April. These are Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries' wake months, used here for Florida: “At the end of the dormancy period (March–April), females with cubs are usually the last to leave the den.” On mothers with new cubs, Florida Fish and Wildlife: “The cubs nurse in the den until April and continue to nurse for several months after they emerge from the den.”

Keep feeders down where bears are. Florida Fish and Wildlife: “Remove bird feeders where bears are present.” And: “If bird feeders are left up, only put enough food out for birds to finish eating before dark.”

Florida Fish and Wildlife gives a rule rather than a date, in the answer above. BearWise, the bear program state wildlife agencies run: “When bears are active, the best option is to remove bird feeders.”

Some do. Florida Fish and Wildlife: “In addition, male bears in southern states like Florida may have a reduced denning period or none at all but will exhibit lethargic behavior.”

In the den, in midwinter. BearWise: “An average of two to three cubs are born in the den in January/February.”

In June. Of 1,353 research grade black bear records on iNaturalist in Florida, more were made in June than in any other month, and the fewest in the den months.