As hunters venture into the woods this fall, Idaho Fish and Game is asking them to be mindful of their food and garbage.
The same cautions apply to campers and homeowners in bear country. Most bear complaints of nuisance bears happen in later summer and early fall when bears are traveling in search of food, packing on fat to make through the winter.
"It is important for hunters, 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."
Unpleasant experiences with bears are mostly avoidable. Taking some simple, preventive measures and using good old fashioned common sense will go a long way towards minimizing bear conflicts this fall.
Hunters, campers and homeowners can help keep bears wild and avoid potential costly property damage by taking some simple precautions:
- Keep a clean camp. Pick up garbage and store it in a closed vehicle or in a plastic bag tied high in a tree. If you hang food or garbage from a tree, make sure it is at least ten feet high and four feet from any vertical support. Store all food enclosed in a bear-resistant container, camper or vehicle. Never keep food, beverages or scented/flavored toiletries such as toothpaste 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. Bring it indoors at night.
- 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 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.
"Common sense is really all that's needed," Losinski said. "Securing food, garbage and anything else that a bear might consider food is the answer. If a bear does not receive a food reward, it will move on.
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 that has learned bad habits 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. If you encounter a persistent or aggressive bear, contact your local Fish and Game office with the details.
