The black bear population has "increased dramatically" in recent years in New York State.

Bears across New York State are waking up from their winter slumber.

Nearly 10,000 Black Bears Kill New York State Home

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Facebook/Town of Fishkill
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According to the DEC, at least 6,000 to 8,000 black bears are living in New York State.

Decades ago you'd only find black bears in small, isolated populations in only the most inaccessible mountain regions of the state.

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However due to "conservative bear management" the black bear population has increased "dramatically," according to the New York State DEC.

"Increasingly, bears can be found in semi-rural environments, agricultural areas, and occasionally in urban centers," the DEC states.

Bear Vs. Human Conflicts Increasing

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Because black bears are now living in more populated areas, or homes and businesses are being built in areas where bears once called home

All this means means "human-bear conflicts" have also increased across New York, according to the DEC.

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In recent weeks a "startling" number of bears were spotted across the Hudson Valley. CLICK HERE to find out where.

Where Black Bears Are Found The Most In New York State

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Jillian Cooper
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According to the DEC, you can find the most amount of bears in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Central New York and Western New York.

Black Bears Live In Catskills, Adirondacks, Central New York, Western New York, Hudson Valley, Southern Tier

Over 50 percent of New York bears are in the Adirondack region. Around 30 percent are in the Catskills while about 15 percent are in Central New York or Western New York.

But bears are now "well established" in the Hudson Valley, Southern Tier and Tug Hill region.

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Jillian Cooper
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Transient bears, bears that don't say in one spot for long, "are routinely" found throughout the Lake Ontario Plains, Mohawk Valley, and St. Lawrence Valley.

Below are tips of what to do if you come in contact with a bear.

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