Color Phase Black Bears

Black bears aren’t always black?! By far the most common color IS black, and in most areas, that’s virtually the only color you’ll find. However, color phase black bears range widely from jet black to chocolate, blonde and even cinnamon or grey color phases. So, if you’re after a color phase black bears, you need to go bear hunting in the right area. Once you decide on where to go, you need to figure out how you want to hunt.

Color phase black bears are more common in the western US and Canada.

Bears that are not the more common black variation makeup only 45% of the total bear population across western North America. Interestingly though, most are black again once you reach Alaska.

Black is the most common color phase.

The black phase is the most common, especially in Eastern United States, Canada, the Pacific coasts of Washington, Oregon and most of Alaska. According to the American Bear Association jet black is most common color in the eastern regions of the United States and Canada, thus European settlers named the species the “black bear”.

Brown bears are the second-most common color phase.

They range from deep chocolate to a reddish tint often referred to as “cinnamon”. These are the most common bears of the Rocky Mountain States and Western Provinces. Idaho in particular is home to many chocolate phase bears.

Blonde colored bears are the least common of the color phases.

As a general rule, the farther west you go, the more blondes you will have. They are never common. The rare bluish-gray color phase, “Glacier bear” is found in Alaska, and the all-white “Kermode bear” occurs on several islands in coastal British Columbia.