A Texas outdoor writer tracking bear attacks across North America has counted 64 attacks that caused injury or death so far in 2026, among more than 70 documented encounters, according to Cowboy State Daily. Mike Dickerson, 71, calls the year unprecedented. His list is an independent compilation from news alerts, agency reports and social media, not an official count from any wildlife agency.

The detail that worries bear specialists most is not the total — it is who is doing the attacking and why. Grizzly researcher Chris Servheen analyzed attack data compiled by Outside magazine and found that 43% of attacks this year were predatory, and 94% of those involved black bears, Cowboy State Daily reported. Black bears attack people less often than their size and numbers might suggest, but when they do, the intent is more likely to be food.

The timing raises the stakes now. Bears are in their fall feeding phase, called hyperphagia, when they eat almost constantly to build fat for winter. For hikers, hunters, campers, and homeowners from the Rockies to Appalachia, the next several weeks bring the highest odds of a hungry bear near people.

Black Bears and Grizzlies Attack for Different Reasons

Most grizzly attacks are defensive. A grizzly surprised at close range, guarding cubs or protecting a carcass, may charge and injure a person, then leave once the threat seems gone. That is why the standard advice for a defensive grizzly attack is to play dead.

Black bears are usually more timid, and most encounters end with the bear fleeing. The rare exceptions are different. Dickerson cites long-term research finding that roughly 80% of fatal black bear attacks were predatory, meaning the bear treated a person as prey. A bear that stalks someone, follows them, or enters a tent at night fits that pattern.

That distinction changes what people should do. The National Park Service advises against playing dead during a black bear attack. Instead, people should try to reach a car or building, and if escape is impossible, fight back with any available object, aiming at the face and muzzle. The agency gives the same advice for any bear that stalks a person or attacks inside a tent, regardless of species.

A Hungry Year Across the West

The surge in conflicts has clear local drivers. Drought and wildfire damaged habitat in parts of the West, and natural foods such as berry crops failed in many areas, pushing bears to lower elevations and into towns, according to Cowboy State Daily. Bear populations have also grown over the past 50 to 60 years in many regions, and grizzlies are reclaiming prairie habitat in central and eastern Montana.

Colorado has been a hotspot. Wildlife agents there have killed nearly 300 black bears over conflicts this year, about four times a typical year, the outlet reported. Nature World News previously reported that Colorado Parks and Wildlife had confirmed a record 10 bear attacks in the state by mid-September, with Durango among the trouble spots.

Wyoming has seen serious incidents too. In May, two brothers were badly injured by a grizzly in Yellowstone National Park, and in July an aggressive black bear chased two women out of their camp in the Bighorn Mountains and tore up their tents.

The pressure is seasonal. In fall, black bears jump from roughly 2,000 to 3,500 calories a day to 15,000 to 20,000, and may forage up to 20 hours daily, according to WECT, citing North Carolina wildlife officials. "All the extra fat bears build up during hyperphagia" is what carries them through winter, said Ashley Hobbs, North Carolina's statewide BearWise coordinator.

Limits of an Unofficial Count

Dickerson's tally fills a gap, since no comprehensive public database of North American bear attacks exists. A Brigham Young University database led by biologist Tom Smith is not public, he said. But the list depends on what gets reported, and Dickerson believes it undercounts attacks in remote parts of Alaska and Canada.

The comparison to past years is also not precise. The Cowboy State Daily report does not give earlier annual totals using the same method, so the year cannot yet be ranked statistically. Servheen's predatory figures come from Outside's dataset, which is separate from Dickerson's list.

Kim Titchener, a Canadian human-bear conflict prevention specialist, told the outlet she hopes the list does not distort public perception, since countless encounters end with no harm at all. Dickerson's own view is blunt: "bears aren't big, fuzzy teddy bears."

Steps That Lower the Risk This Fall

Most bear conflicts start with food — secure garbage, bird seed, pet food, compost and livestock feed, and take down bird feeders until bears den for winter. Bears that keep finding easy meals may stay active longer and lose their wariness of people. Check the yard before letting pets out at dawn or dusk.

In the backcountry, store food exactly as the land manager requires, cook away from tents, and never keep food or scented items inside a tent. Hike in groups, make noise in thick brush and near streams, and give bears, especially mothers with cubs, plenty of space.

Carry EPA-registered bear spray where it is allowed and know how to use it. The National Park Service stresses that it stops a charging bear and is "not a repellent," so it should never be sprayed on gear or skin.

Learn the difference between encounters. A bear that bluff charges, huffs, or slaps the ground is usually defensive, and backing away slowly while talking calmly is the right response. A bear that follows, circles, or approaches quietly may be predatory, which calls for standing your ground, making yourself large, and fighting back if attacked.

Report every attack or aggressive encounter to the state wildlife agency or park rangers right away, and call 911 for injuries. Never approach or feed a bear, and do not try to haze or remove one yourself.

Seasonal Outlook for People and Bears

Most black bears enter dens between late October and December, depending on food and weather, so conflict risk should ease as winter sets in. In a poor food year, some bears may stay active longer, especially near reliable human food.

State agencies will publish their official 2026 conflict figures in the coming months, which will show whether this year truly stands apart. Nature World News will follow those reports.

The bottom line: a widely cited independent tally shows a heavy year for bear attacks, and black bears account for most of the predatory cases. The practical message is to secure food now, carry bear spray, and know that fighting back, not playing dead, is the right response to a black bear attack.

What Readers Want to Know

How many bear attacks have occurred in 2026? An independent tally by Mike Dickerson counts 64 attacks causing injury or death across North America, among more than 70 encounters. It is not an official agency count.

Are black bears more dangerous than grizzlies? Black bears attack less often, but an analysis of 2026 data found 94% of predatory attacks involved black bears.

Should I play dead if a black bear attacks? No. The National Park Service advises escaping to a car or building, or fighting back and aiming for the face.

Why are bears so active now? Fall hyperphagia drives bears to eat up to 20,000 calories a day, and failed natural food crops have pushed many toward towns.

What should homeowners do? Secure trash, bird seed, pet food, and compost, and check yards before letting pets out.

Who should I call after a bear encounter? Report it to your state wildlife agency or park rangers, and call 911 if anyone is hurt.