Bears by the Numbers

North Central Region Bear Calls

Figure 1: This bar graph shows the number of North Central Region bear related calls and percentage of core and non-core complaints received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 1,892 calls.

2014 = 167 calls (31% Core, 69% Non-Core Complaints),
2015 = 123 calls (23% Core, 77% Non-Core Complaints),
2016 = 106 calls (21% Core, 79% Non-Core Complaints),
2017 = 230 calls (36% Core, 64% Non-Core Complaints),
2018 = 208 calls (42% Core, 58% Non-Core Complaints),
2019 = 171 calls (32% Core, 68% Non-Core Complaints),
2020 = 229 calls (35% Core, 65% Non-Core Complaints),
2021 = 185 calls (29% Core, 71% Non-Core Complaints),
2022 = 204 calls (33% Core, 67% Non-Core Complaints),
2023 = 269 calls (25% Core, 75% Non-Core Complaints).

Core complaints are conflicts, whereas non-core complaints are interactions that could be positive or negative.

North Central Region Reasons for Bear Calls

Figure 2: The pie chart above shows the reason for North Central Region bear related calls received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 1,892 calls.

General Interaction (light blue slice) = 38%;
In Garbage (brown slice) = 14%;
Property Damage (orange slice) = 15%;
Sick/Dead Bear (dark green slice) = 21%;
Bear-Animal Encounter (yellow slice) = 2%;
Miscellaneous (light grey slice) = 7%;
Public Safety Incident (light green slice) = <1%;
Illegal Activity (dark blue slice) = 2%;
In Structure (dark grey slice) = <1%.

North Central Region Bear Mortality

Figure 3: The bar graph shows the number of bears killed by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death in the North Central Region from 2014 to 2023, totaling 297 bears.

2014 = 28 bears (26 road, 1 illegal, 1 other),
2015 = 63 bears (23 road, 3 management, 2 other, 35 harvest),
2016 = 16 bears (15 road, 1 other),
2017 = 24 bears (18 road, 2 management, 2 illegal, 2 other),
2018 = 20 bears (19 road, 1 other),
2019 = 19 bears (17 road, 1 illegal, 1 other),
2020 = 26 bears (24 road, 2 other),
2021 = 26 bears (21 road, 3 illegal, 2 other),
2022 = 34 bears (27 road, 2 management, 2 illegal, 3 other),
2023 = 41 bears (37 road, 4 other).

Northeast Region Bear Calls

Figure 1: The bar graph above shows the number of Northeast Region bear related calls, and percentage of core and non-core complaints received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 27,646 calls.

2014 = 4,107 calls (47% Core, 53% Non-Core Complaints),
2015 = 3,099 calls (50% Core, 50% Non-Core Complaints),
2016 = 2,146 calls (45% Core, 55% Non-Core Complaints),
2017 = 2,577 calls (49% Core, 51% Non-Core Complaints),
2018 = 2,187 calls (44% Core, 56% Non-Core Complaints),
2019 = 2,401 calls (39% Core, 61% Non-Core Complaints),
2020 = 2,205 calls (39% Core, 61% Non-Core Complaints),
2021 = 2,923 calls (39% Core, 61% Non-Core Complaints),
2022 = 2,838 calls (33% Core, 67% Non-Core Complaints),
2023 = 3,163 calls (36% Core, 64% Non-Core Complaints).

Core complaints are conflicts, whereas non-core complaints are interactions that could be positive or negative.

Northeast Region Reasons for Bear Calls

Figure 2: The pie chart above shows the reason for Northeast Region bear related calls received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 27,646 calls.

General Interaction (light blue slice) = 40%;
In Garbage (brown slice) = 24%;
Property Damage (orange slice) = 12%;
Sick/Dead Bear (dark green slice) = 14%;
Bear-Animal Encounter (yellow slice) = 3%;
Miscellaneous (light grey slice) = 2%;
Public Safety Incident (dark blue slice) = 1%;
Illegal Activity (dark blue slice) = 2%;
In Structure (dark grey slice) = 2%.

Northeast Region Bear Mortality

Figure 3: The bar graph shows the number of bears killed by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death in the Northeast Region from 2014 to 2023, totaling 1,820 bears.

2014 = 150 bears (110 road, 28 management, 8 illegal, 4 other),
2015 = 287 bears (103 road, 39 management, 4 illegal, 4 other, 137 harvest),
2016 = 138 bears (114 road, 12 management, 5 illegal, 7 other),
2017 = 166 bears (128 road, 19 management, 7 illegal, 12 other),
2018 = 147 bears (112 road, 14 management, 8 illegal, 13 other),
2019 = 172 bears (134 road, 11 management, 13 illegal, 14 other),
2020 = 184 bears (148 road, 7 management, 8 illegal, 21 other),
2021 = 225 bears (187 road, 9 management, 18 illegal, 11 other),
2022 = 184 bears (159 road, 8 management, 12 illegal, 5 other),
2023 = 167 bears (139 road, 4 management, 5 illegal, 19 other).

Northwest Region Bear Calls

Figure 1: This bar graph shows the number of Northwest Region bear related calls, and percentage of core and non-core complaints received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 20,907 calls.

2014 = 1,670 (46% Core, 54% Non-Core Complaints),
2015 = 2,002 (50% Core, 50% Non-Core Complaints),
2016 = 2,228 (46% Core, 54% Non-Core Complaints),
2017 = 2,477 (47% Core, 53% Non-Core Complaints),
2018 = 1,880 (38% Core, 62% Non-Core Complaints),
2019 = 1,817 (40% Core, 60% Non-Core Complaints),
2020 = 2,337 (45% Core, 55% Non-Core Complaints),
2021 = 1,840 (40% Core, 60% Non-Core Complaints),
2022 = 1,897 (43% Core, 57% Non-Core Complaints),
2023 = 2,821 (46% Core, 54% Non-Core Complaints).

Core complaints are conflicts, whereas non-core complaints are interactions that could be positive or negative.

Northwest Region Reasons for Bear Calls

Figure 2: This pie chart shows the reason for Northwest Region bear related calls received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 20,970 calls.

General Interaction (light blue slice) = 41%;
In Garbage (brown slice) = 30%;
Property Damage (orange slice) = 9%;
Sick/Dead Bear (dark green slice) = 10%;
Bear-Animal Encounter (yellow slice) = 3%;
Miscellaneous (light grey slice) = 2%;
Public Safety Incident (light green slice) = 1%;
Illegal Activity (dark blue slice) = 1%;
In Structure (dark grey slice) = 1%.

Northwest Region Bear Mortality

Figure 3: The bar graph shows the number of bears killed by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death in the Northwest Region from 2014 to 2023, totaling 1,185 bears.

2014 = 115 bears (82 road, 21 management, 8 illegal, 4 other),
2015 = 262 bears (92 road, 49 management, 1 illegal, 8 other, 112 harvest),
2016 = 119 bears (80 road, 18 management, 12 illegal, 9 other),
2017 = 125 bears (77 road, 35 management, 7 illegal, 6 other),
2018 = 113 bears (88 road, 13 management, 4 illegal, 8 other),
2019 = 76 bears (59 road, 7 management, 6 illegal, 4 other),
2020 = 108 bears (89 road, 12 management, 4 illegal, 3 other),
2021 = 66 bears (61 road, 1 management, 1 illegal, 3 other),
2022 = 76 bears (68 road, 4 management, 2 illegal, 2 other),
2023 = 125 bears (113 road, 7 management, 2 illegal, 3 other).

Southwest Region Bear Calls

Figure 1: The bar graph above shows the number of Southwest Region bear related calls, and percentage of core and non-core complaints received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 3,613 calls.

2014 = 423 calls (45% Core, 55% Non-Core Complaints),
2015 = 327 calls (45% Core, 55% Non-Core Complaints),
2016 = 302 calls (38% Core, 62% Non-Core Complaints),
2017 = 384 calls (48% Core, 52% Non-Core Complaints),
2018 = 284 calls (29% Core, 71% Non-Core Complaints),
2019 = 353 calls (41% Core, 59% Non-Core Complaints),
2020 = 496 calls (31% Core, 69% Non-Core Complaints),
2021 = 284 calls (26% Core, 74% Non-Core Complaints),
2022 = 348 calls (38% Core, 62% Non-Core Complaints),
2023 = 412 calls (39% Core, 61% Non-Core Complaints).

Core complaints are conflicts, whereas non-core complaints are interactions that could be positive or negative.

Southwest Region Reasons for Bear Calls

Figure 2: The pie chart above shows the reason for Southwest Region bear related calls received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 3,613 calls.

General Interaction (light blue slice) = 47%;
In Garbage (dark brown slice) = 26%;
Property Damage (orange slice) = 8%;
Sick/Dead Bear (dark green slice) = 6%;
Bear-Animal Encounter (yellow slice) = 2%;
Miscellaneous (light grey slice) = 7%;
Public Safety Incident (light green slice) = 1%;
Illegal Activity (dark blue slice) = 1%;
In Structure (dark grey slice) = 1%.

Southwest Region Bear Mortality

Figure 3: The bar graph shows the number of bears killed by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death in the Southwest Region from 2014 to 2023, totaling 89 bears.

2014 = 15 bears (7 road, 5 management, 1 illegal, 2 other),
2015 = 18 bears (9 road, 8 management, 1 illegal),
2016 = 8 bears (4 road, 1 management, 2 illegal, 1 other),
2017 = 7 bears (6 road, 1 management),
2018 = 7 bears (7 road), 2019 = 8 bears (8 road),
2020 = 5 bears (5 road),
2021 = 5 bears (3 road, 2 illegal),
2022 = 5 bears (3 road, 2 other),
2023 = 11 bears (11 road).

South Region Bear Calls

Figure 1: The bar graph above shows the number of South Region bear related calls, and percentage of core and non-core complaints received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 5,767calls.

2014 = 539 calls (47% Core, 53% Non-Core Complaints),
2015 = 497 calls (48% Core, 52% Non-Core Complaints),
2016 = 345 calls (44% Core, 56% Non-Core Complaints),
2017 = 521 calls (46% Core, 54% Non-Core Complaints),
2018 = 919 calls (34% Core, 66% Non-Core Complaints),
2019 = 648 calls (34% Core, 66% Non-Core Complaints),
2020 = 540 calls (35% Core, 65% Non-Core Complaints),
2021 = 507 calls (33% Core, 67% Non-Core Complaints),
2022 = 625 calls (25% Core, 75% Non-Core Complaints),
2023 = 626 calls (27% Core, 73% Non-Core Complaints).

Core complaints are conflicts, whereas non-core complaints are interactions that could be positive or negative.

South Region Reasons for Bear Calls

Figure 2: The pie chart above shows the reason for South Region bear related calls received by the FWC from the public from 2014 to 2023, totaling 5,767 calls.

General Interaction (light blue slice) = 47%;
In Garbage (brown slice) = 23%;
Property Damage (orange slice) = 7%;
Sick/Dead Bear (dark green slice) = 13%;
Bear-Animal Encounter (yellow slice) = 2%;
Miscellaneous (light grey slice) = 2%;
Public Safety Incident (light green slice) = 2%;
Illegal Activity (dark blue slice) = 1%;
In Structure (dark grey slice) = 2%.

South Region Bear Mortality

Figure 3: The bar graph shows the number of bears killed by either road, management, illegal, harvest, or other causes of death in the South Region from 2014 to 2023, totaling 285 bears.

2014 = 23 bears (19 road, 1 management, 2 illegal, 1 other),
2015 = 50 bears (21 road, 5 management, 2 other, 22 harvest),
2016 = 26 bears (18 road, 5 management, 3 other),
2017 = 29 bears (20 road, 2 management, 5 illegal, 2 other),
2018 = 19 bears (16 road, 1 illegal, 2 other),
2019 = 30 bears (20 road, 3 management, 7 other),
2020 = 16 bears (10 road, 1 management, 3 illegal, 2 other)
2021 = 29 bears (19 road, 2 management, 5 illegal, 3 other),
2022 = 35 bears (30 road, 2 management, 1 illegal, 2 other),
2023 = 28 bears (18 road, 4 management, 6 other).