Alan:
I am far enough south that it is very rare to see any Black Bears arround here but a couple hundred miles north of here you will find some. Once in a while you will hear of some that have migrated near here I think it is because of the logging or forest fires up north.
Two years ago a local farmer was combineing corn when he felt a jolt as the combine lifted on one side he thought he hit a washout but did not see a washout. He got off the combine to see if he hit a rock or just what it was and found out he ran over a 300 pound Black Bear that was only 15 miles from here.
I have personally never seen a Black Bear here in my lifetime the closesest thing here to one is a couple Cubs and Cub jrs in my shed.
Joe