Wildlife & Encounters

Black bears — shy neighbors, and the one thing that keeps it that way

Missouri has wild black bears again, and that's good news. They almost never want anything to do with you. The whole game is food — keep it locked up, and a bear stays a bear instead of a problem.

Black bears

The plain answer: Missouri has black bears again — about 1,100, mostly in the southern half of the state and expanding northward — and they are almost always shy. The whole game is food: a bear that can't find a meal at your place moves on, and a bear that learns to raid trash and feeders becomes a problem. Don't feed, don't approach, give space, and secure your attractants. Nearly every bad wildlife outcome traces back to food — a fed animal is a bold animal, and a bold animal usually ends up dead.

A fed bear is a dead bear

That hard little saying is the most important thing on this page. A bear that finds an easy meal at a home or campsite comes back, loses its fear of people, and grows bold — and a bold bear usually has to be put down. Keeping food away from bears isn't just tidy; it's how you keep the bear alive. Almost everything below is one idea: don't let a bear get a meal from you.

Around the house

Secure or remove the things a bear can smell and eat. Take down or bring in bird feeders, lock up garbage, keep pet food indoors, clean grills and smokers after every use, store livestock feed where a bear can't reach it, and don't leave food waste out. If you take care of those, a passing bear has no reason to stay. The checklist below is the core of it.

Camping in bear country

Same idea, different place. Store all your food and scented items securely — in a hard-sided vehicle or a bear-resistant container — keep a clean camp with no scraps or grease left around, and don't cook or store food where you sleep. A clean camp is a safe camp.

If you actually see one

Most of the time you'll just watch it move along — that's the normal ending. Never approach a bear. If one is near you, don't run: running can trigger a chase. Instead, make yourself look big, make noise so it knows you're there, back away slowly, and always give the bear a clear way to escape. A bear that has an open exit almost always takes it.

Reporting a bear

You can help MDC track Missouri's growing bear range by reporting sightings through MDC's Be Bear Aware page. If a bear is being bold or causing damage — getting into trash again and again, or not moving off — report it to your MDC regional office or conservation agent so they can step in early.

The one habit that matters most

Secure your attractants

A fed animal is a bold animal — and a bold animal usually ends up dead. Run down this list:

Trash locked up (a latched, hard-sided can or a shed)
Bird feeders down or brought in during bear season
Pet food kept indoors
Grill and smoker cleaned after use
Chicken and livestock feed sealed in metal containers
Compost covered
Fallen fruit picked up
No deer feed or mineral blocks (especially where CWD rules apply)

Before you act

Missouri Porch explains; the experts decide.

Last checked: 2026-06-18. Animal facts and wildlife rules change — and a bite, sting, or exposure is a medical question, not a website question. When in doubt, make the call.

This is general information, not medical or legal advice. For a bite, exposure, or emergency, call your doctor, your county health department, Poison Control (1-800-222-1222), or 911. For wildlife rules, check with MDC.

Heads up: The one rule that covers almost everything: don't let a bear get a meal from you. Secure your attractants at home and in camp, never approach or feed a bear, and a bear stays wild and shy.

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