Could black bears call Iowa home again? 

Black bear sightings might be more common in Iowa. (Photo of black bears in North Carolina by NC Garry Tucker/ USFWS)

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
May 2, 2025

Several black bears spent the winter tucked into dens in northeastern Iowa, which wildlife experts say is a “step up the ladder” toward an established breeding population of bears in the state.

Black bear sightings in the region have been fairly regular over the past decade or so, but with the prospect of more bear sightings to come, Vince Evelsizer with Iowa Department of Natural Resources said he wants to make sure Iowans “get off on the right start.”

“That starts with all of us having a better understanding of bears, and what motivates them,” Evelsizer said.

DNR met with police departments, sheriff’s offices, conservation boards and other officials in northeastern counties, to help prepare them in the event of a bear-related call.

Evelsizer said this type of education around bears will lead to a better understanding of how to deal with bears, “for the sake of the bear and for human safety sake.”

The department has also partnered with the organization BearWise, to provide messaging on how to live with bears. Bear Wise, which was developed by state agency bear biologists, has basic tips for residential and outdoor bear interactions.

People in residential areas in “bear country” can do things like take down bird feeders, secure any food left outside, including pet food and garbage, and clean their outdoor grills when bears are active, from spring through fall.

Bears have incredibly strong senses of smell and can smell a tasty snack from more than a mile away, according to BearWise.

Loud noises and big arm movements are the best way to scare a black bear away if it turns up in a yard or across a hiking trail.

Black bear attacks are “extremely rare” according to BearWise, but Evelsizer said it’s best to “give black bears space.”

Over the years, he said the department has reported a handful of instances of bears hit by cars or shot in the state.

There are no legal protections for bears in Iowa, though a bill was introduced in the House this year to create a program for hunting and trapping black bears, and establish penalties for the unlawful taking of a bear.

“It is up to the people of Iowa to decide if they would like to see protection (for the bears) or not,” Evelsizer said.

A natural resurgence

Black bears, which can be cinnamon, brown, blonde or black in color, were once common across all of North America. European settlement in the country eliminated much of the population, and drove the bears to more remote areas, away from human settlements.

Gradually, however, the populations have come back. Iowa’s neighbors to the north, Minnesota and Wisconsin, are now home to an estimated 16,000 and 24,000 black bears, respectively.

Evelsizer said the bears began to reside in the driftless region of the two states, which is why some have wandered into Iowa.

“It’s interesting that this is actually going on in our modern world,” Evelsizer said. “After so many years … the book is still being written.”

Black bear visits in past years have mostly consisted of males crossing over during mating season and then looping back up to Wisconsin or Minnesota. Evelsizer said the handful of black bears that stuck around this year through Iowa’s winter have already emerged from their winter torpor.

Evelsizer said overwintering females would be the next step toward an established breeding population in Iowa.

Iowa is still dealing with individual bears at this point, with an average of about five bear sightings a year and eight sightings last year.

“My hunch is that they’re more adaptive than we think, and that we may see more than we thought we ever would,” Evelsizer said.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.