Avoid bear conflicts by storing food and garbage properly

While it is exciting to see a bear in the wild, it isn’t so wonderful to have one in your campsite or trashing your deck barbeque at midnight. 

“With this hot, dry summer, we’re starting to see a pretty significant increase in bear complaints, and most of them are due to improper storage of attractants like chicken feed, and garbage cans left out, said Jason Husseman, wildlife biologist for Idaho Fish and Game in Salmon. “Bears are very opportunistic and once they find a food reward, they will be back for more.”

Bears are always on the lookout for food sources, spending up to 20 hours a day foraging for food. The beckoning scents of garbage, barbeques, pet food and other animal feed, compost, and ripe fruit can quickly bring in a foraging bear from miles away.  Sometimes, that brings them to unlikely places - like into town - particularly in dry years like this one when natural food sources are limited. 

When bears find their way into town and find those food sources readily available, it often leads to a bear that is food-conditioned and habituated to humans.  This creates a significant concern and usually a bad outcome for the bear.  

Idaho Fish and Game wants to remind people that most conflicts can be avoided by being extra mindful of their food and garbage. The same cautions apply to homeowners in bear country – which essentially means most of Idaho. 

Here are some simple preventative measures to minimize bear conflicts.   

 Tips around home/cabin:  

• Keep garbage in bear-resistant containers or in a closed building. 
• Empty and remove bird feeders during the summer months when songbirds are able to forage on food provided by nature. 
• Clean up fruit that has fallen in your yard.  Rotting fruit will attract bears as well as raccoons and skunks.
• Feed pets inside or during daylight hours; don't leave pet food or food scraps outside of your home or camp, as it can attract bears, raccoons and skunks. 
• Store horse and livestock grains inside closed barns.
• Keep barbeque grills stored in closed buildings.

Tips around camp:

• Keep a clean camp.  Store all food, garbage and even toothpaste, soap, lotions and bug spray in your vehicle or camper.  If food storage in a vehicle is not possible, hang in a tree 10 to 15 feet off the ground, at least 100 yards from your campsite.  Make sure that the bag is at least 4 feet from the tree trunk. Ideally, campers are encouraged to have a bear-resistant food canister to store their camp groceries. 
• Never cook in or near a tent or keep scented products in a tent. 
• Don't bury food scraps, pour out cooking grease, or leave anything that might be tasty on the ground or in the fire pit.  Also, store barbecue grills or other smelly cooking gear inside your vehicle or within a sealed bear resistant container.
• Never leave food outside or in an unattended or improperly stored cooler.  A cooler is not bear-resistant.  Remember that pet food can also attract bears to your campsite.  Be sure and secure any pet food after feeding your pet.

Black bears are typically shy and unaggressive, but the possibility of a bold bear near your campsite may increase if a bear loses its fear of humans because it has learned to associate food with campsites. These bears can become nuisances or even threats.  In addition, live trapping and moving a bear does not always solve the problem, and bears conditioned to human food leaves Fish and Game officials with no choice but put the bear down to ensure public safety.

If a bear visits your campsite, make as much noise as possible such as yelling, waving your arms, or banging on pots and pans to quickly scare the bear away.  Be sure to give the bear room to easily escape the area.

For more in-depth information on how to avoid conflicts with bears, including tips for hunters, campers, hikers and homeowners, visit Be Bear Aware.