The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hikers, campers and others recreating outdoors to be aware of bears and learn how to prevent conflicts.

Minnesota is bear country, but people can peacefully share the outdoors with bears by paying attention to where and when they are most likely to encounter bears. Black bears are naturally cautious animals that typically avoid human contact for their own safety; however, it’s important to be proactive to prevent human-bear conflicts.

Related: A sure sign of spring in Cook and Lake County: black bears coming out of hibernation

“Coexistence with bears is completely doable with a few easy steps that anyone can follow,” said Andrew Tri, bear project leader. “The key things to remember are to not surprise them and to keep food secure.”

When moving about in bear country, people should be aware of their surroundings, make noise periodically so bears know they’re there, and always keep dogs leashed.

To keep human food away from bears, people should keep a clean camp by practicing leave no trace principles opens in a new browser tab. People should:

• Store coolers in a locked vehicle or store food in a certified bear-resistant container.
• Take food waste with them rather than piling it outside the receptable if the trash container or dumpster is full. Leave no trash or food scraps in camp and don’t burn scraps in the fire ring.
• Not leave food, trash or pet food outdoors and unsupervised — all it takes is a few seconds for a hungry bear to swipe it.

Learn more about how to safely recreate in Minnesota on the DNR website opens in a new browser tab and at BearWise opens in a new browser tab.