The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says black bear appetites are at a seasonal high.
Wildlife officials say late summer and early fall are when bears enter hyperphagia — a biological phase when they increase their food consumption to prepare for the winter months.
Black bears can eat an additional 10,000-15,000 calories per day during this phase.
Officials say bears often take advantage of human-provided food sources such as bird feeders, unsecured garbage or compost and crops like corn and soybeans.
The agency says there’s an increase in reports of bear encounters in public and residential areas during this time.
Officials recommend being extra alert when driving or walking at night and making sure anything that could attract a bear is out of sight, smell and reach.