How to Avoid Attracting Bears

Spring is near which means hibernation time for bears is almost over. When they wake up, they will be hungrier than a 12-year-old boy after playing hockey. If you’re a homeowner in bear country, you should take the necessary precautions to prevent these four-legged neighbors from deciding your property is the place to go for a snack. Even one mistake on your part may encourage them to make your home a regular stop. Bears are omnivores so they’ll eat anything. The key is awareness; what humans might consider inedible, bears may find irresistible. For the safety of your family, follow these tips to avoid attracting bears.

1. Don’t leave your trash or trash can outside. It may not contain much food, but the odor is an attractant. Keep trash cans in the garage until the morning of pickup day and put them back as soon as possible. The can may retain odors even when it’s empty.
2. Bird feeders contain highly nutritious food that bears crave. Replace them with a birdbath or string the feeder a minimum of ten feet above the ground, and four feet out from the trunk or any tree branch. A pulley system can make the feeder available to you, but not the bear.
3. If you must feed a pet outside, don’t leave the food out indefinitely. Give your animal just enough to consume in one sitting, then bring the bowls inside. Even metal containers may retain food odors.
4. When cleaning your day’s catch, discard all unwanted fish parts into the water to eliminate lingering odors. Remember to thoroughly wash the cleaning station.
5. After any meal outdoors, remove all food traces before moving on to the next activity. If you decide to “deal with it later” a bear might just take care of it for you.
6. Pick fruit or berries on your property as soon as they’re ripe. Rake the area clean of dropped fruit or nuts. Fermenting fruit is especially attractive to bears.
7. Keep first-floor doors and windows locked, particularly ones that lead directly to the kitchen where food odors are especially strong.
8. Keep your BBQ and grilling implements clean of food residue and grease, brushes included. If you can’t store the BBQ inside, cover it.
9. Be mindful of what you put in the compost bin. Adding lime can cut down on the odors. Under no circumstances should you put fruit, meat, fish, or dairy products into the compost.
10.  Promptly dispose of any dead bird, squirrel, or other animal carcass that you discover on the premises.

“Never run from any type of bear as this may encourage them to chase you, and they run much faster than humans. I once saw a young woman run toward a bear because she was excited to see it.”

If you do encounter a bear, slowly but deliberately back away. With black bears, you should make a lot of noise while retreating. Shouting is a good deterrent to prevent them from following you. Never run from any type of bear as this may encourage them to chase you, and they run much faster than humans. I once saw a young woman run toward a bear because she was excited to see it. That isn’t good, either. If you’re inside the house and a bear has broken in, seek protection in a room with a locked door.