Ursus americanus
Forests across Canada, Alaska, the West, the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, and parts of the Gulf Coast. Front track is wider than long, with five toe dots in a gentle arc.
What does a american black bear look like?
Black or brown, rounded ears, no shoulder hump, straight nose. Smaller than a grizzly where both occur.
What do american black bear tracks look like?
Five toes. The big toe is the outer one. Claws are short and may not print. Hind print shows a full foot, front print is a wide pad plus toes.
- Front track is wider than long, with five toe dots in a gentle arc
- Large foot pad, claw marks close to the toes
- Hind track can look like a wide human print, about 7 to 9 inches
- Scat varies: berry piles, hair, insect parts, or loose tubes
- No shoulder hump. Straight face profile.
What does american black bear poop look like?
Often a pile or segmented tube full of berries, seeds, or insect parts. Can contain hair. Do not handle. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Forests across Canada, Alaska, the West, the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, and parts of the Gulf Coast. Typical places: woods, wetland, yard. Active spring through fall. Tracks in mud along creeks.
What to do next
- Back away. Do not run.
- Make yourself known if the bear has not seen you
- Secure food and garbage
- Report a bear that approaches people
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Grizzly bear identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
What do black bear tracks look like?
Five toe dots in an arc over a wide pad. The hind foot can resemble a bare human foot, wider, with claw tips close to the toes.
How do you tell black bear tracks from grizzly tracks?
Black bear claws sit close to the toes and often do not print. Grizzly claws are long and leave marks well ahead of the toes. A line across the front of the pad usually stays below the outer toe on a black bear.
How to tell a american black bear from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Grizzly bear. Long claw marks are the field clue. Shoulder hump, dished face, long front claws.
American black bear field marks
- Front track is wider than long, with five toe dots in a gentle arc
- Large foot pad, claw marks close to the toes
- Hind track can look like a wide human print, about 7 to 9 inches
- Scat varies: berry piles, hair, insect parts, or loose tubes
Where the sign shows up
Forests across Canada, Alaska, the West, the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, and parts of the Gulf Coast. Typical places: woods, wetland, yard. Active spring through fall. Tracks in mud along creeks.
Five toes. The big toe is the outer one. Claws are short and may not print. Hind print shows a full foot, front print is a wide pad plus toes. Often a pile or segmented tube full of berries, seeds, or insect parts. Can contain hair. Do not handle.
Common questions
What do black bear tracks look like?
Five toe dots in an arc over a wide pad. The hind foot can resemble a bare human foot, wider, with claw tips close to the toes.
How do you tell black bear tracks from grizzly tracks?
Black bear claws sit close to the toes and often do not print. Grizzly claws are long and leave marks well ahead of the toes. A line across the front of the pad usually stays below the outer toe on a black bear.