Why is Vermont’s bear population booming?

For the fourth year in a row, Vermont’s black bear population size far outpaced what the state projected.

Last year, the state had an estimated 6,800 to 8,000 bears, nearly double the objective of 3,500 to 5,500 bears, outlined by a Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department population model.

Why is the population doing so well? There are two big factors that determine population size, said Jaclyn Comeau, the Black Bear Project leader at the state Fish & Wildlife Department: mortality rates and reproduction rates.

The state has a pretty good sense of what is influencing bear mortality, she said. Hunters are responsible for most premature bear deaths, followed by vehicle collisions. Freak accidents, like a bear chewing an electrical wire, can also cause a bear’s early death. Still, populations