Bear Hibernation starts when?

[Tom H]

I'm in Sartola lands, there's light snow on the ground and it's day 4 of the 8th week before midwinter. I'm seeing bears wandering and am wondering if they should not already be in hibernation? I've trapped one and his fur is rated as a winter coat.

(It's now 6 weeks before midwinter and still seeing/trapping bears)

(Perhaps this post is not relevant. Research reveals "However, far from being a long, uninterrupted sleep, hibernation consists of periods of sleep punctuated by periods of arousal. Sleep time is long during the dead of winter but is shorter at the beginning and end of the season.")