(Ashland, OR) -- This is the time of year to be bear aware, because bears are waking up from hibernation and they're hungry. Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds you to not give bears a free lunch. The warning is especially important in Ashland, where bears frequently visit human-populated areas. Last year, 137 cases of bear conflict were reported in Jackson County, with 38 inside the city of Ashland. ODF-and-W urges you to keep food sources, including trash, in secured areas bears can't reach.