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Most black bears begin vacating their winter dens over a one to two month period typically commencing in April or May. However, bears have also been known to rouse them selves from hibernation as early as March. For instance, this year, grizzly bears in Yellowstone National park have already started coming out of hibernation in early March. Most bears begin hibernation in early October
The exact timing of a bear emerging from its den can depend on a variety of factors, such as climate conditions (temperature and snow fall), as well as the bear's age, health, and remaining fat reserves.
Usually adult male bears will emerge first and the female bears with newborn cubs will be the last to leave their dens. Bears don't hibernate too deeply, so if you disturb a hibernating bear, it will probably wake up, so just keep that in mind!
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