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Bear hibernationRhode Island

When Do Bears Hibernate in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island 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 November 1

Rhode Island DEM gives November 1 as the day feeders can go back up.

Where these dates come from

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

Dens and feeders in Rhode Island

By Rhode Island DEM's den and wake months
Early November
Into the den
per Rhode Island DEM
March
Out of the den
per Rhode Island DEM
March 31
Feeders down
per Rhode Island DEM
November 1
Feeders back up
per Rhode Island DEM

Bears go into their dens over several weeks and come out over several more, so each is a span. Both feeder dates are Rhode Island DEM's own, quoted below.

The sources

The dates, in the agencies’ own words

Into the den and out

Bears in Rhode Island go into their dens in early November and come out in March.

In the northeast, winter denning usually takes place between November and March and females that are pregnant or with cubs enter the den earlier and spend longer periods in the den than males.

Rhode Island DEM, American Black Bear, read October 13, 2026

The bird feeder

Down by March 31, back up on November 1. Both dates are Rhode Island DEM's.

Only feed birds from November 1st to March 31st when bears are not active.

Rhode Island DEM, American Black Bear, read October 13, 2026

Bears in Rhode Island

While only a small number of resident bears are estimated to currently inhabit Rhode Island, the population is expected to increase as numbers in neighboring states grow.

Rhode Island DEM, American 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 Rhode Island 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 up
  4. April: Out and hungry, 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 up
  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 Rhode Island bears are seen

Black bear sightings in Rhode Island are few: 24 research grade reports on iNaturalist across all years. Here are the last 30 days.

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 Rhode Island: questions and answers

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By state

Bear hibernation in the other 41 states

Other guides for Rhode Island

Bear Season in Rhode IslandFall activity and hunting dates by state.Hummingbird Migration in Rhode IslandWhen hummingbirds arrive and leave, and when to take feeders down.Winter Backyard Birds in Rhode IslandThe top feeder birds by state, December to February.Attic Wildlife in Rhode IslandWhen 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 Rhode Island DEM, 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.