Stay Safe in Bear Country

July and August are big months for bears who spend their summers trying to get fat so they can survive the upcoming winter. In their quest for food, black bears will look where the pickings are easy. That may mean places where campers or landowners make food available to them. There are things you can do to minimize confrontations with black bears. Here are some tips for landowners and campers:

• Garbage should be stored in a secure building and disposed of regularly. Place trash out the morning that pickup is expected, preferably in a bear-proof receptacle. Trash receptacles should be washed after use to minimize odors that may attract bears. Any central refuse collection areas should be equipped with bear-proof dumpsters.
• Food, pet food and livestock feed should be stored inside a secure building at all times. If this is not possible the items need to be stored in a bear-proof container.
• Do not install 2-way pet doors as bears can and will crawl through them to investigate food odors.
• Do not place freezers or refrigerators on porches or in unsecured buildings where bears have access to them as they can and will open freezer doors, even locked ones.
• BBQ grills should be stored inside a secure building when not in use. If not, it should be cleaned well after each use.
• Bird feeders should only be left out during the winter months and secured inside during the spring, summer and fall. If you feel compelled to leave them out longer you may want to consider bringing them in at night. You could also secure them high in the air, but far enough away from any tree or pole that a bear may climb. Cleaning up any spilled bird seed can also help prevent a bear from lingering around.
• Gardens, fruit trees, berries, bee hives and compost piles should be fenced with an electric fence. If not, ripe fruit and vegetables should be picked immediately and over ripe or fallen fruit and vegetables should be discarded away from residences. Where possible plan ahead and place these attractants away from timber and brushy areas where bears seek cover. Compost piles consisting of only landscaping debris and not food items are less likely to attract bears.
Big game carcasses that are hanging to cool should be kept in a secure building or taken to a meat locker for temporary storage.
• Coolers should not be left lying around with food in them. If camping, and bear- proof storage units are not available, coolers should be placed inside the vehicle and all doors and windows shut. Food may be suspended high in the air, but care must be taken that a bear cannot climb a nearby tree to reach the suspended food.
• 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.