They mate on land. From May through October the seals are in the water. In October the mating bulls come ashore. The bulls battle for beaches before the cows arrive. The first cows arrive 2-3 weeks later.
Cows come ashore two days before giving birth.
Cows lactate for 117 days. These seals are at a disadvantage when it comes to terrestrial predators. The eared seals are very social mammals. They congregate into groups, which become larger during the mating season. Large size is favored for two reasons.