Here’s a piece from the Michigan DNR that I found interesting. One thing I did not know is that black bear do not have collar bones, which allows even a mature bear to fit through an average sized pet door!
They are encouraging people to make sure they don’t have spaces for the bear to den up for the winter. That’s less of a problem in our area, as southern bears do not necessarily hibernate. But the piece is worth a read for an “up north” take on bear behavior and prevention.
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/3fbc8be