Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My....Part Two
This time you will be reading about ways to live in peaceful harmony with bears (or vacation where they live). This is important to know, as it will help eliminate the necessity of destroying (meaning KILL) any bears that may attack due to human carelessness. Therefore leading to the need for rehabilitation of young bear cubs whose mothers may have just been protecting their babies.
People who live in rural areas should make sure any food odors that might attract bears are eliminated. Garbage, pet food left outside, bird feeders and outdoor grills all will be an open invitation to a bear for dinner. Keep your trash safely stored in a garage or cellar until trash day or until you bring it to your local dump. Disinfect your trashcans on a regular basis, especially in the summer when heat will intensify those smells. You can also refrigerate any leftover meat scraps, grease of other foodstuffs until they can be removed from your premises. Sometimes a rag soaked in ammonia will discourage a hungry visitor but don't always count on it. Compost piles should be well away from your home too. If you feed the birds, put out only small amounts at frequent intervals to lessen the chance a bear will discover the feeder. If you do get a large lumbering individual, stop feeding the birds until the bear stops coming back or place the feeder in a place the bear can't get to. Outdoor grills should be stored in a closed garage or shed. It helps to burn off all residues from the meat and grease and then scrape thoroughly with a brush. Dumpsters should be fitted with latches that are kept locked. They should also be constructed of heavy metal to deny any bear access to the food inside it. Electric fencing can help keep bears away from garbage areas. To ensure the bear learns how the fence "works" you can wrap a piece of juicy bacon around the wire. (Make sure you have the fence charger turned off before placing the bacon on the wire or you will be in for the shock of your life!) Turn the fence back on once the bacon is securely on the wire. The bear will receive a shock when it tries to eat the bacon. This warning usually deters the bear from trying to gain access to any area inside the electric fence. Check with your local feed store for information on setting up an adequate fence system. Be sure to place warning signs on the fence so other people don't get shocked.
Latest Articles