The Minnesota Town Where You Have the Highest Risk of Running into a Bear

We have lots of wildlife all across Minnesota. It can be a wide variety of wildlife, too, because of the diverse landscapes we have. But something that I think most Minnesotans are aware of is that we definitely have bears that roam around the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

ALSO READ: The Last Drive-In Movie Theaters in MN and Where to Find Them

Fun fact: Did you know we used to have grizzly bears in Minnesota? Yeah, the North American Bear Center says that they went extinct in our state in 1900, so it has been a long time.

Can you imagine running into a grizzly bear out in the wild? Yikes!

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The only bears in Minnesota now are the black bears. Don't get confused if you see a bear that is brown out in the Minnesota wild, though. Black bears can sometimes be a brown color. Confusing, I know.

Where Black Bears Live in Minnesota

Black bears typically hang out in forested areas, says the Minnesota DNR.

Bears live in forests, swamps, and other areas with dense cover, but they also venture into clearings to feed.

The main habitat for black bears in Minnesota is in the northern part of the state. However, the DNR writes that the black bear's "range has been slowly expanding southward and westward."

Minnesota Town with the Highest Bear Population

Last year, WJON out of St. Cloud did an interview with Spencer Peter, Assistant Director and Biologist from the North American Bear Center and Northwoods Ecology Hall.

In part of the interview, they talk about where most black bears are found in Minnesota. That place would be in the small town of Orr.

Orr is just under an hour south of International Falls and sits right on the edge of Voyageurs National Park. It makes total sense that this is where a majority of black bears hang out.

This means that if you're in Orr, you have a higher risk of running into a bear. So what if you do run into one? In Orr or anywhere else?

What to do if You Encounter a Bear

Here are some tips from the National Parks Service:

• "Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms."
• "Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone." Screaming or making loud noises can make the bear think you're prey.
• "Pick up small children immediately."
• "Make yourselves look as large as possible." One way you can do this is by going on top of a small hill nearby, or maybe a log.
• "If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways." That way you can keep your eyes on the bear, make sure you don't trip on anything, plus being sideways looks less threatening.
• "Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route."

They also mention being especially careful if you see a female bear and her cubs. If she perceives you as a threat, your odds of being attacked jump dramatically. They write to "never place yourself between a mother and her cub".

They also have a list of 'do nots':

• Do NOT allow the bear access to your food
• Do NOT drop your pack (If needed, it can provide protection for your back.)
• Do NOT run
• Do NOT climb a tree