Iowa Hawkeyes defesive end Yahya Black (94) motions for the crowd to get loud against the Iowa State Cyclones during the CyHawk game on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

Black bears' activity occurs in Iowa typically in late May and June. This is during their breeding season, when a few black bears are more likely to leave Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Gradually, however, the populations have come back. Iowa’s neighbors to the north, Minnesota and Wisconsin, are now home to an estimated 16,000 and 24,000 black bears, respectively.