hibernation

[Burn Ban]

when, and for how long, do the big bend bears typically hibernate?

[Casa Grande]

There, some bears hibernate so deeply, especially the leaner bears after a summer of unusually scarce food,  that a person can jostle them for several minutes before they wake up.  However, in southern states where food is available year-round, some do not hibernate at all, and those that do are easily aroused.

Taken from http://www.bear.org/Black/Black_Bear_Facts.html

Since this is the desert southwest, Black Bears in Big Bend don't really hibernate the way you would typically think a Grizzly hibernates in Alaska.