Black Bears On the Move, Expanding Toward Northeast Missouri

Let's be clear that there is no present constant black bear population in northeast Missouri - yet. A new report by the Missouri Department of Conservation does show that not only is the bear population in Missouri growing, but it's heading to the northeast.

Get our free mobile app

There's a new map shared by the Missouri Department of Conservation showing how much the black bear population has grown in Missouri. Here's their explanation of what their new map means:

Most Missouri bears live just south of Interstate 44 (core range), but as the population continues to grow, bears have started to inhabit new areas of the state (expansion range). Each year, bears — mostly subadult males — are “observed” in counties outside of their core range, but have yet to settle in these areas.

Notice that some northeast Missouri counties like Lewis are already reporting bear sightings if only isolated animals that do not normally call that area home.

While a vast majority of black bear sightings are south of I-44 in the southern part of Missouri, you can see that slowly but surely the reports are happening in and around northeast Missouri now, too.

It will be interesting to see when/if a persistent black bear population begins to become the norm and not the exception in northeast Missouri. With the vast deer population in the northeastern part of the state, I have to believe the question is when not if. Time will tell.