The American black bear, Ursus americanus, is a native species with an established and growing population within Oklahoma. The species was nearly extirpated due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Successful conservation efforts have resulted in their return to the state’s woodlands, particularly in the forested eastern regions.
Geographic Distribution and Preferred Habitat
The largest concentration of black bears in Oklahoma is found in the rugged, forested landscape of the eastern third of the state. This area includes two distinct mountain ranges: the Ouachita Mountains in the southeast and the Ozark Mountains in the northeast. These regions offer the dense, mature forests and remote terrain that black bears rely on for cover, denning, and foraging activities.
Bears are omnivores, and their habitat selection is largely driven by the seasonal availability of food sources. They frequent areas rich in hard mast, such as acorns and hickory nuts, which are crucial for them to build up fat reserves before winter hibernation. Riparian areas and forest openings also provide soft mast, including wild berries like blackberries, during the summer months. The Ouachita population is well-established in the four southeastern counties of Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, and Pushmataha. While the Ozark population is smaller and more sparsely distributed, bears continue to expand their range northward and westward from these core areas.
Population Recovery and Management
The black bear population in Oklahoma faced a severe decline by the early 1900s due to overharvesting and fragmentation of their forest habitats. The successful return of the species was largely facilitated by reintroduction programs conducted in neighboring Arkansas during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Approximately 250 bears were relocated to the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.
These bears thrived in the suitable habitat, and their population expanded naturally across the state border into eastern Oklahoma beginning in the 1990s. Today, the population in the Ouachita region is estimated to be between 1,200 and 1,300 bears and is considered sustainable. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) manages this recovered population through research, monitoring, and a regulated hunting season, established in 2009 to help control population growth and minimize conflicts.
Coexisting Safely with Oklahoma Black Bears
Minimizing human-bear conflicts centers on eliminating the easy access bears often gain to human food sources, known as attractants. Homeowners in bear country should ensure all garbage is stored in bear-resistant containers or kept securely inside a garage or shed until collection morning. Other attractants like pet food and backyard bird feeders should be removed from May through August when natural food sources diminish and bears are most active.
Campers and hikers must be diligent about storing food properly to prevent a bear from associating humans with a meal. All food, toiletries, and any scented items should be secured out of a bear’s reach, ideally by hanging them from a tree branch at least ten feet high and four feet away from the trunk. If you encounter a bear at close range, never turn and run, as this can trigger a chase response. Instead, stand your ground, make yourself appear as large as possible, and speak loudly to let the bear know you are human. If a bear approaches or charges, aggressively fighting back is the recommended action.