Black bears are powerful animals with few natural enemies. They are also very tolerant of humans. Many bears have learned to associate food with people. Unfortunately, this leads to confrontations between humans and bears that can often be detrimental to both. By properly storing or disposing of attractants, the damage and threat of black bears can successfully be avoided.
Bear Facts
Black bears are usually solitary animals
that are most active at dusk and dawn.
Black bears are omnivorous and will eat
almost anything available, but their diets
are composed mostly of vegetation.
Black bears breed in late May and early
June and the female gives birth to 1-3
cubs between late December and early
February.
Prevention is far better than confrontation!
Remember: A Fed Bear Is a Dead Bear.
Confrontation
Make Noise When Hiking. It is easy to avoid a bear confrontation by being knowledgeable and alert. Never feed or approach a bear, especially a cub. When hiking try to stay in open areas and be sure to make noise (noise-making devices are very beneficial).
If you do come upon a bear, keep a distance of at least 100 yards. Do not run! Speak softly, do not make eye contact, and back away slowly.
People and Black Bears can live together. Another option is the use of pepper spray. This can be effective to stop a charging bear.
Note to Parents
It is very important that you share this information with your children. This will help them avoid dangerous situations when playing. Make sure they tell you if they ever see a bear in the area.
Bear Attractants
Garbage Cans
Garbage should be stored where bears can neither smell nor gain access to it, either in a bear-proof container or inside a building. Put out the garbage only on the day of pick up. Leaving smelly trash out overnight will give bears time to find it and get into it—this acts as a food reward to the bears and encourages them to continue to visit. Take precautions to reduce odors by using plastic bag liners. You can also spray your garbage cans with disinfectant after each use.
Outdoor Items
Thoroughly wash or store any outdoor items, such as barbeque grills, portable smokers, ice chests, and coolers. Beverage cans and bottles are also attractants.
Fruit Trees
Fruit trees attract bears, especially when wild foods are scarce. Pick all ripe fruit from trees and the ground as soon as possible. Do not leave fruit on trees through the fall. Electric fencing is the most effective way to keep bears out of orchards. These fences need to yield at least 3,000 volts.
Vegetable Gardens & Compost Piles
Vegetable gardens and compost piles also act as an attractant to bears. The smell from the compost pile and the food reward from both will keep bears coming back to visit. It is in your best interest not to have either, as they will encourage the bears to come down and investigate. However, a vegetable garden can be protected by an electric fence. This fence, again, needs to yield at least 3,000 volts to be effective.
Honey
Bears love honey and seek bee larvae in beehives. You can protect the hives with electric fencing or by elevating the hives on platforms 15-20' above the ground. These can be supported by metal poles that bears can't climb. Beehives should be located 50 yards from forests or other sources of cover for bears.
Bird Feeders
Birdseed, suet, and sugar in hummingbird feeders attract bears. If bears are in the area PLEASE take down any birdfeeders immediately. If you want feeders, hang them as high as possible, but do keep in mind that bears are excellent climbers. Store any birdseed inside. It may also be a good idea to bring feeders inside at night. Use suet only during winter months.
Pets & Livestock
Food should be stored in bear-proof containers, preferably inside a sturdy building that bears cannot enter. Reduce the spillage of oats and pellets by feeding from buckets or other containers, and do not leave leftover livestock food out overnight. Pens should be placed at least 50 yards from wooded areas or places that may provide cover for bears.
Remember: If you find that bears have found your garbage or livestock feed, remove the attractants immediately. It is much harder to deter a bear that has used a site repeatedly than to stop a single instance. Bears will leave if no attractants or “rewards” are present. When bears become conditioned to associating humans with food, they usually have to be trapped, relocated, or killed.
