How large is a black bears home range?
The size of the home range varies depending upon the abundance of food. In an area with lots of wild berries, mast producing trees, and row crops a territory will be smaller than in an area with a scarce food supply. Yearling females often share the territory of their mothers, but young males may travel far to find their own territories. In North Carolina, a sow’s home range can be as large as 2-6 square miles. The breeding territory of an adult male can cover over 100 square miles to overlap with many female home ranges.
