It does seem that the early summer period does bring out the bears more than at any other time of the year. While they don't actually hibernate during the winter, they do go into a very lazy state, and don't get out of their dens much until late spring. But now they are out, in great numbers, hungry and looking for an easy meal. Just last week I had to chase a rather large black bear off of the deck of Bob Chester's cabin near Hawksbill Crag. When hiking, and especially when spending the night in the woods, it is a good idea to keep some things in mind.
Bears love garbage dumps.
And lastly, if you have an encounter with a bear, don't panic. Most black bears in Arkansas will turn tail and run as soon as they see or smell you. If you do see a bear, have fun with the adventure, and get ready to tell the story many times. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a huge population of the wild beasts, and the National Park Service has been doing battle with them for many years. The Park employs five full-time hunters that do nothing but seek out and destroy the wild hogs.