Forage on roots from pocket gophers.
Pocket gopher burrows nearby.
On seedlings and saplings, clipped tops and branches from deer or snowshoe hare browsing. Holes in trunk caused by woodpeckers or sapsuckers. Sudden browning of foliage, particularly in spring after winter feeding. Damage from insects or disease. Feeding damage is extensive in the spring before other food sources are available, and bears seem to prefer fast-growing trees of all species.