Are There Really Any Wild Bears In Iowa?

I have family that lives in northeastern Iowa and they swear there are bears that roam around that part of the state in the fields and woods.

The family farm is in northeastern Iowa close to the small town of Decorah.

For decades my grandparents and other relatives have claimed that they've seen signs of Black Bears living in the area.

I've hunted the woods and fields of northeastern Iowa for decades since I was a kid. But I've never seen any bears of any kind.

This spring KCRG-TV posted a video recently that someone from Dyersville got of a Black Bear strolling through their backyard around midnight.

Dyersville, in east central Iowa, is known for being the location for the popular baseball movie “Field Of Dreams”.

And according to the Iowa Department Of Natural Resources... “While much of Iowa does not have the habitat necessary to support a black bear population, certain locations do primarily northeast, eastern, and southern parts of the state.

As black bear populations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri are stable to increasing, it is possible that a small population could set up residence in Iowa.”

I believe I will plan on paying a bit more attention the next time I'm hiking the woods around the Upper Iowa River.