Hunting & Fishing Field Guide

Black Bear on the Pacific Coast – California

According to Senior Wildlife Biologist, Doug Updike, California’s black bear population has increased over the past 25 years.
“In the last 30-plus years, we’ve seen a three-fold increase,” Updike said. Recent estimates put California’s bear population at about 30,000 animals spread over 52,000 square miles of habitat. Today, the state ranks among the top black bear destinations in the country.