Bears will often give clues to their disposition through the positioning of their ears and hair, as well as their actions. A black bear whose ears are laid back and the hairs on the back of its neck up is probably angry. Bears that snort, woof or swat the air or ground in front of them are not happy either, but they are most likely trying to scare you away. A bear that approaches you with its ears up is likely curious, or it could be a bear that is used to people feeding it looking for a handout.