With summer temperatures continuing to increase and natural food sources for bears becoming harder to find in some places, potential for human interactions with bears are on the rise.
Bears can travel great distances while switching from spring to summer foods and when berries and other natural foods become scarce, human related attractants such as food and even garbage, becomes appealing.
As thousands of campers, backpackers, and hikers venture into the woods, Idaho Fish and Game is encouraging people to be mindful of their food and garbage. The same cautions apply to homeowners in bear country.
"It is important for campers and homeowners to be proactive so they don't attract bears," said Gregg Losinski, Fish and Game conservation educator. "Don't wait until it's a problem, because once bears become accustomed to an easy food source - they will return and conflicts will continue."
Campers can help avoid most conflicts with bears by practicing the following:
- Keep a clean camp. Pick up garbage and store it in a closed vehicle or in a plastic bag tied high in a tree. Store all food enclosed in a bear-resistant container, camper or vehicle. Never keep food in your tent. Some national forests in Idaho even have specific food storage regulations, so check before heading out.
- Do not bury food scraps or pour cooking grease or anything that might be tasty on the ground or into the fire pit. Also, stow barbecue grills or other smelly cooking gear inside your vehicle. Bears have a tremendous sense of smell and they will come looking for an easy meal.
- If you see a bear, watch it from a distance and leave it alone. Black bears are not usually aggressive, but the danger may increase if a bear loses its fear of humans.
Homeowners can avoid most conflicts with bears by practicing the following:
- Keep garbage in bear-resistant, latchable containers. Keep garbage in a closed building until the morning the garbage will be picked up.
- Empty and remove bird feeders during the summer months. Songbirds are able to forage on food provided by nature. Bears find that bird feeders are an easy food source. If you hang a hummingbird feeder make sure it is suspended at least ten feet high and at least four feet away from your home.
- Clean up fruit that has fallen from fruit trees in your yard. In addition to bears, rotting fruit will attract raccoons and skunks.
- Feed pets inside or during daylight hours; do not leave pet food or food scraps outside of your home or camp. Table scraps and pet foods make a great attractant for bears.
- Store horse and livestock grains inside closed barns.
- Composting in bear country is not advised. Decomposing organic materials will attract bears.
- Chicken coops have grown in popularity with rural dwellers and bears love them too. Electric fencing has proven to be an effective method for stopping bears.
- Keep barbeque grills stored in closed buildings.
Fish and Game deals with most nuisance bear complaints during July and August when bears are traveling in search of food. Bears will eat almost anything, including human food, garbage, birdseed, and pet and livestock food. Bears that become conditioned to raiding these food sources can lose their natural fear of people and can become nuisances or even threats. Live trapping and moving a bear does not always solve the problem, and bears often will need to be euthanized. That is why biologists often say a fed bear is a dead bear.
