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Bear hibernationMontana

When Do Bears Hibernate in Montana?

Montana bears are feeding hard before winter, and go into their dens in early November.

Today, October 13

The bears

Fattening up

Bears start going into their dens in early November.

Bird feeders

Keep feeders down until early December

Feeders go back up once bears are in their dens, in early December.

Where these dates come from

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

Dens and feeders in Montana

By Montana FWP's den and wake months
Early November
Into the den
per Montana FWP
March to April
Out of the den
per Montana FWP
Early March
Feeders down
when the first bears wake
Early December
Feeders back up
once the dens are full

Bears go into their dens over several weeks and come out over several more, so each is a span. Feeders come down as the first bears wake and go back up once the dens are full.

The sources

The dates, in the agencies’ own words

Into the den

Bears in Montana go into their dens in early November.

In Montana, bears typically den for 5 to 6 months during wintertime (approximately November-March).

Montana FWP, Bears In Montana, read October 13, 2026

Out of the den

They come out between March and April.

Bears begin emerging from their dens in springtime, typically March-April.

Montana FWP, Bears In Montana, read October 13, 2026

The bird feeder

Down in early March, back up in early December. Montana FWP says to take feeders down while bears are active, in the words below. The dates are when bears start waking and when dens are full, by Montana FWP's den and wake months.

Avoid feeding birds during active bear season.

Montana FWP, Living In Bear Country, read October 13, 2026

Bears in Montana

Today, Montana has the largest remaining grizzly bear population in the United States, with the exception of Alaska.

Montana FWP, Bears In Montana, read October 13, 2026

Technically, grizzly bears in Montana do not hibernate.

Montana FWP, Bears In Montana, 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 Montana 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: Out and hungry, 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: In the den, feeders up

Up and Down mark where the feeder stands in the middle of each month. The bar for this month is outlined.

Sightings

When Montana bears are seen

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

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1,528 research grade black bear reports from Montana on iNaturalist, all years, by the month they were seen. Most come in July, 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 Montana: questions and answers

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By state

Bear hibernation in the other 41 states

Other guides for Montana

Bear Season in MontanaFall activity and hunting dates by state.Hummingbird Migration in MontanaWhen hummingbirds arrive and leave, and when to take feeders down.Winter Backyard Birds in MontanaThe top feeder birds by state, December to February.Attic Wildlife in MontanaWhen 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 Montana FWP, 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.