In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt famously hunted bears in the Mississippi Delta.
By 1932, the bear population dropped drastically, and the state put the animals under full protection, which is still in effect today.
By 2002, bears numbered about 50 in the state. Then, the population bloomed to several hundred today. Often, a young male wanders many miles looking for its own home territory and a mate. These wanderers could show up anywhere.
“The Mississippi bear population is definitely increasing,” reported Anthony Ballard, the black bear program leader for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. “We will probably have more than 100 bear sightings in 2023.”
Generally, American black bears live in the northern third of the state and the Louisiana subspecies occupies the rest. Most people cannot tell the subtle differences between the two just by looking at them.
The Mississippi bear population is definitely increasing. We will probably have more than 100 bear sightings in 2023.
“Most bears live along the Mississippi River,” Ballard explained. “Another population lives in southeastern Mississippi. The Pascagoula River area has plenty bears. People are more likely to see a bear in that part of Mississippi than anywhere else.”
In the southern Delta, bears primarily live in Warren and Issaquena counties. In the northern Delta, Bolivar County hosts a good population. Another pocket lives in Adams and Wilkinson counties.
“A Mississippi bear would likely measure about 33 to 36 inches at the shoulder,” Ballard detailed. “When standing on its hind legs, it might be five feet to a little over six feet tall. The largest one on record came from Wilkinson County. It was a 468-pound roadkill.”
During the fall, bears gorge themselves to fatten up before winter. An adult male probably weighs between 250 to more than 300 pounds. A typical female runs about 100 to 200 pounds.
Large, powerful carnivores, bears can inflict serious injury, but they usually try to avoid people. Normally, a bear detects a human and moves away without the person ever knowing it.
“Any wild animal can be dangerous, but we haven’t had any bear attacks in Mississippi,” Ballard said. “The last thing a bear wants to do is get in conflict with a human. They just want to be left alone. The exception is when a bear gets habituated to food and becomes possessive of that food. That’s when people and bears have problems.”
As sportsmen chase game this fall, they could encounter bears. A hunter might kill a deer, but a bear gets to it first. If that bear wants the deer, most people let it have the animal. Sometimes, hunters use a vehicle to scare the bear away and retrieve the deer.
“If the bear doesn’t move on, make a lot of noise,” Ballard advised. “Speak in a loud voice. Maintain eye contact. Don’t run. That could trigger a predator response and a chase. Be as confident as possible and ease off in another direction. We want to protect the people of Mississippi and the bears at the same time.”
People who spot a bear in Mississippi can report it at www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/black-bear-program.
