Prevention and Planning Starts Now.

Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar

Feb 17, 2026

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by The Witham Family Hotels Charitable Fund.

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MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—A plethora of bear sightings last year and a bear accused of killing two goats and some rabbits in May and was then later accused of killing baby rabbits at the same property and not eating them means that it’s not too early to start preparing to bear-proof local properties to try to keep negative interactions down.

Though a permit to kill the bear accused of killing livestock was issued by the state, no bears were harvested on MDI this past bear season, which officially ended on November 29, 2026.

According to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Regional Wildlife Biologist Steve Dunham, the bear that had been frequenting the Town Hill area, had been accused of the deaths and also “causing issues at a nearby dumpster” and having “hit some nearby bird feeders.”

The Town Hill bear and other bears started being seen and captured in photographs in different areas of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in 2025 in the spring.

Multiple towns and Acadia National Park posted tips about how to minimize bear incidents on properties.

According to Acadia National Park Management Assistant John Kelly, most of the sightings in the park had been in the Jordan Pond area. Since mid-June, people on social media have reported seeing a bear on the Kane Path, Dorr South Ridge Trail, Bald Peak Trail, and Cadillac Mountain.

On a July 2025 morning, resident Carla Tanguay was on the Duck Brook Road in Bar Harbor when she saw a bear meandering on the granite.

Matthew Hochman saw a bear at the head of the island. Peter Miano saw and photographed a bear off Bayview Drive in Bar Harbor. Other sightings included Otter Creek.

Many photos were posted to social media, capturing the public’s attention, while also shining light on being “bear aware.”

Throughout the season there were multiple resources being shared by towns and Acadia National Park about being more “bear aware” and minimizing incidents.

“No bears were harvested on MDI this fall,” Dunham reported in December, “although there were a decent number of turkey (harvested on MDI).”

The Town Hill bear is safe for now. However, many worry that he will continue to graze on livestock at that property. Others worry that he’ll not make it through another season.

According to Bear Wise, black bears, which is the kind of bear in Maine, typically give birth in January and February, with cubs typically weighing less than a pound.

According to the State of Maine, black bears generally hibernate from December to April, although they are not true hibernators because they can occasionally leave their dens during that period for short amounts of time. This means that there is a low likelihood of any of the bears on MDI being seen until spring. When spring does come around, Dunham had some tips to help alleviate issues next year.

“I would like to remind folks on the island that the best way to prevent future issues is to secure all potential sources of food on a property including bird feed, animal feed, trash, grills, etc. Using electric fencing around chickens and livestock is highly recommended. Dumpster doors can be modified to be more resistant to bears and should (be) latched shut (also prevents other animals from getting in),” Dunham wrote for a previous Bar Harbor Story article.

He continued, “Bird feeders, seed, and suet should not be placed outside from April 1 to November 1. If people are vigilant about these things, it is quite possible to live happily with bears in the area. Unfortunately, if bears learn they can find easy food in yards or near homes, it can be difficult to get them to return to natural options.”

In March 2025, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries explained that black bears lose “a significant amount of body weight and are on the move looking for food after emerging from their winter dens.”

In spring, they try to regulate their bodies again.

“Bears will seek out limited springtime foods such as insects, grasses, sedges, leftover hard mast from the fall, and other early spring vegetation,” the department explained. “While natural foods are limited, bears may take the risk and wander into backyards in search of easily accessible food. It is especially important be proactive about securing and removing backyard attractants this time of year to prevent conflicts with black bears.”

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Take steps now to prevent black bears from coming to your yard:

Birdseed

• Remove bird feeders between April 1 and November 1
• Rake up unused bird seed from the ground
• Learn how to plant natural foods to attract birds, not bears

Garbage

• Store garbage cans in a building or enclosed by electric fence
• Take to curb on morning of pickup
• Keep dumpster lids and doors closed and latched
• Use bear-resistant dumpsters or garbage cans
• Keep outbuilding and garage doors closed at all times and repair broken windows and doors

Grills

• Clean grills thoroughly after use
• Store grill inside when not in use
• If you are having bear conflicts, stop grilling until bear moves on

Pets and Livestock

• Feed pets inside
• Store livestock and pet food inside
• Keep livestock in buildings at night
• Install and maintain effective fencing for livestock

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LINKS TO LEARN MORE

Bearwise Flyers At Home Basics (sept2024)

1.16MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Bearwise At Home Checklist (sept2024)

1.13MB ∙ PDF file

Download