Yes, the bears are out now, and they have their spring babies. So it is very important that you take all precautions to make your home or yard NOT "bear friendly." If you make it easy for them to find food in your area, you are enabling them, and causing them to become a "nuisance bear." A nuisance bear is a dead bear. Please do your part to help keep the bears and yourself safe.
* Never Feed the Bears! Not Ever!
Report any neighbors or visitors who are doing so to the BEAR League.
* Make birdfeeders inaccessible to bears or take them down.
* Do not leave accessible windows or doors open. Screens are not bear-proof.
* Be sure your doors are solid wood or metal and install and use heavy deadbolts.
* Spray Pinesol on window and door casings to mask food odors coming from inside. Repeat often.
* Check out deterrents at www.rexplus.com and think seriously about getting a motion activated barking dog device. (Call us for advice or assistance)
* Replace single pane windows with double pane.
* If your house is not permanently occupied (if is a vacation home) it is highly recommended that
all food be removed between visits or rentals and while the house is unoccupied. Bears smell spices, teas, and other food through the walls and normal bear instinct dictates that they use their claws, teeth and incredible strength to get at it.
* Securely block access to under-house crawl spaces.
* Leave lights and radio or TV on when not at home.
* Do not use DeCon. It attracts bears.
* Don't leave any garbage near the house.
* Don't leave pet food outside and don't feed pets outside.
* Don't leave food in cars. Roll up windows and lock doors.
* Don't talk nicely to bears who come near your house. Make them think you will harm them.
Funny, we had two visitors last night at our house around 1:30 a.m. Our dogs barked from inside the house. They could hear them walking behind our home. The visitors got into our trash, which we normally keep strapped with several large, very strong straps. Sadly last week the garbage man tossed our straps (guess he got tired of having to undo them), so needless to say my husband had to clean up the party mess this morning. Sorry to say this, but the bears around here aren't scared off by lights or noise. My husband banged on the window to shoo them off, and we turned on outside lights, but they continued to feast.
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