Well, Where I live, the snows not yet gone, and today its done nothing but blow snow anyway. That area is about an hour and half north of me near Riggins. Riggins is a much lower elevation, and warmer area of the state altogether. I was advised by the F&G dept to head up there this time of year as the snow here makes it hard as ever to get into bear country, and some of the bears here are still sleeping, and not up yet due to snow.
However, I didnt see any down there either, but being a bit optimistic still its more that I only spent the day there, and not much more time.
Yes we do have a decent black bear population, if it was legal to shoot them here in town, we have about a dozen or so problem bears every year taken out of town and relocated.