There are more black bears in Virginia now than at any time since before the Civil War, biologists say, and it isn’t because hunters have quit going after them.

The bear population is rising from 3% to 7% each year, with strongholds in the mountains and the Great Dismal Swamp. There are about 5,000 to 6,000 bears statewide, with most in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s estimated that as many as 350 bears live in the Great Dismal Swamp.

It’s also estimated that hunters kill 20% of Virginia’s bear population each year. Wildlife officials say that the bear population can withstand those kill levels.

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