DNR seeks reports of bear dens in three northern Minnesota areas
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking people who spend time outdoors this fall to help report bear den locations in the areas of Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and Duluth.
The information will help DNR and University of Minnesota Duluth researchers identify additional bears to capture and fit with GPS tracking collars this winter, as part of an ongoing research project. For several years, researchers have studied how bears move through rural and urban landscapes and the age at which female bears first reproduce.
“We’re hoping to collar a few more bears this winter, so it’s extremely helpful when hunters report bear den locations they encounter,” said Andrew Tri, Minnesota DNR bear project leader in a Friday press release. “These collars allow us to collect a full year of movement data, which isn’t possible with bears that are captured and collared during the summer.”
The DNR has conducted bear research spanning several decades in the Chippewa National Forest and Brainerd areas, tracking factors such as survival, reproduction, and movement. DNR officials said understanding when bears first reproduce is an important part of monitoring population trends and determining appropriate hunting harvest quotas.
Over years of research, wildlife researchers have noticed changes in the age at which bears first reproduce in some parts of Minnesota. They’re now working to better understand what’s behind those changes.
In the Duluth area, researchers are particularly interested in how bears navigate landscapes where natural habitat and developed areas overlap.
“Bears can cause conflicts when they live near people, and collaring and tracking bears in the Duluth area will help us better understand how they are using the developed landscape,” said Michael Joyce, University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute wildlife ecologist. “Ultimately, we would like to use the information we gather to help reduce human-bear encounters and promote coexistence.”
Anyone who discovers a bear den in one of the three study areas is encouraged to record its GPS coordinates, if possible, and contact DNR bear research in Grand Rapids at 218-328-8879 or 218-328-8874. Photos taken from a safe distance can also help researchers.
The Duluth research project receives partial funding from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
Kalli Hawkins November 14, 2026
