When bears and humans cross paths, most of the time, nothing bad happens. In the case of black bears, most of the time the old saw about "they're more afraid of you than you are of them" applies, and the bear swaps ends and flees. Grizzlies are a little different, as they aren't really afraid of anything, but they are generally cautious around humans.
It's not always the case, though. Bears are big, strong, capable apex predators, and sometimes they will attack a human. Wildlife biologists call these "unfavorable human/bear interactions," and they frequently end badly for both human and bear.
2026, it seems, has been something of a record-setting year for bear attacks. A Texas outdoor writer, Mike Dickerson, has been keeping track, and informs us of 64 reported attacks in North America in 2026 - so far.
Wildlife observers were expecting 2026 to be a wild year for bear attacks, and that’s played out so far, says a Texas-based outdoorsman compiling what he says is the first-ever comprehensive list of attacks available to the public.
A longtime outdoor writer, Mike Dickerson, 71, has a network of contacts in wildlife agencies across the U.S. and Canada.
“Some of them were telling me, and common sense was telling me, this was going to be a bad year for bear attacks,” he told Cowboy State Daily, adding that 2026 is on track to be “unprecedented.”
Using news-tracking alerts, agency reports, and other methods, Dickerson has been keeping a tally of bear incidents and posting regular updates on social media.
An increase in bear attacks can be attributed to several likely causes. A bad year for forage, such as mast (nuts and other such forage) berries, and other foods can have bears, hungry and desperate to pack on pounds for hibernation, searching out alternative food sources and invading human habitations looking for food. Bears are also, especially in the lower 48, moving more and more into their historical ranges, where people now live, and people are increasingly moving into bear range.
Also, especially in the lower 48, bears are no longer hunted to the extent they were, and for a lot of big apex predators, other animals that share their environment are put into two categories: "Dangerous" and "Food."
Dickerson, according to Cowboy State Daily, believes there are more attacks than he's tallied:
So far, he’s documented more than 70 bear encounters, including 64 attacks that resulted in injury or death across North America.
He noted that particularly in remote parts of Canada and Alaska, attacks might go unreported.
“I’m personally convinced that there are more attacks than what I’ve been capturing (for the list),” he said.
If you're wondering how things are in your neck of the woods, Outside Magazine has produced an interactive map of bear attacks across North America, including the lower 48, Canada, and Alaska. Check it out.
Bear attacks in 2026. Blue is black bears, tan is grizzly/brown, and a red ring indicates a human fatality. https://t.co/5hmVREyhJY
— Ward Clark (@TheGreatLander) October 24, 2026
Here's the interesting part: Black bears are less likely to attack than grizzlies/browns, but when they do attack, they are more likely to be attacking with predatory intent. A griz may decide to just beat you up and leave you, but a black bear may be intending to have you for lunch. It's unusual, but it happens.
In our part of Alaska, most of these unfortunate encounters have been, this year, with grizzlies and browns, a surprising number in the Anchorage metropolitan area, normally on the various hiking and bike paths in the area. As always, the usual cautions apply when you're in bear country: Stay alert, stay focused, be aware of your surroundings, and if you see a bear, back slowly away. If you're inclined, a major-caliber sidearm is a great idea. If guns aren't your thing, well, bear spray is better than nothing.
Here in the Great Land, the bears are now tucking themselves away for the winter. Soon they will be in the lower 48 as well. Then, in the spring... Well, we'll see what we see next year.
Editor's Note: This article was edited for clarity post-publication.
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