The increasing size of the Austrian bear population (Ursus arctos L.) has led to higher levels of damage. This has been well-covered in the media, and people's attitudes to the conservation and re-establishment of brown bears in Austria has become an important issue. Thus, to identify changes in attitudes over time, a longitudinal study was conducted over a five-year period (1993-1997) in one of the areas in Austria where bears are common. A total of 377 people were asked about their attitudes toward bears, how much they knew about bears and about some associated management issues. They were also asked to estimate bear numbers in Austria. Analysing the responses by season (interviewed in summer versus interviewed in winter), similar patterns were found: respondents' attitudes toward the species, their knowledge of bears and related aspects, and their estimations of the bear population differed significantly between summer and winter. These findings show how important it is to conduct longitudinal surveys in order to understand changes in human attitudes. This should help wildlife managers react more appropriately when conflict situations between humans and large carnivores arise.