COEUR d'ALENE - Warning: Bears ahead.

Hunters, hikers and other people spending time outdoors should take precaution this fall against bear encounters, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced Tuesday.

In light of a number of bear and human encounters around the West, as well as a number of local factors, the department decided to issue a warning before deer and elk hunting season opens Monday.

"We're just trying to get ahead of the curve since there have been so many incidents where grizzly bears have attacked hikers and hunters," said Phil Cooper, wildlife conservation educator for IDFG, referring to several attacks in Yellowstone and Glacier national parks this year, as well as in September in Montana near Boundary County. "We're just trying to get ahead of the curve, so people have it in their minds, what's going on around them."

Bears can be encountered at almost any elevation at this time of year in North Idaho. While black bears are more common for Kootenai County, grizzly bears are more common to the north in Boundary County.

A survey by IDFG reported a thinner than usual huckleberry crop this year, due to the cold spring and early summer. Huckleberry patches are common feeding grounds for bears, so a short supply could put them on the move closer to human populations as they search for food.

"Potentially bringing bears in closer contact with people," Regional Wildlife Manager Jim Hayden said.

Homesteads and orchards are common spots for bears as well. Apples and pears are two of a bear's favorite eats, so hunters and hikers should take extra precaution if they cross those properties, Cooper said.

Several bears, including grizzlies, have recently been detected at low elevations north of Bonners Ferry on homesteads and orchards in the foothills of the Selkirk Mountains, an IDFG press release stated.

Bear encounters are rare, however.

In fact, an Alaskan study by the state's epidemiologist showed that around 20 people died from bear attacks from 1900 to 2000 in Alaska, a state more recognized as a natural habitat for the creatures. But from 1975 to 1985, 19 people there were killed by dogs.

Still a recent string of high profile cases across the West prompted the warning.

Boundary County resident Jeremy Hill, 33, had criminal charges dropped in September after he shot a federally protected grizzly bear on his property near Porthill in self-defense on May 8.

Sightings are more common, the department said, especially around bird feeders, with daily sightings occurring in Bonner County and weekly sightings in Kootenai County.

Homeowners should make sure food sources, such as garbage or pet food, are properly stored and secure from bears.

Hunters are encouraged to carry bear spray.

If a grizzly bear attacks, defenseless people should play dead, while black bears, typically more passive, can be fought off, Cooper said.