how to get rid of nuisance black bears

There are many ways available for you to get rid of a pesky bear (or several of them!) Ensure the lights are very bright and are aimed outward from the building, so that the light is shining directly at the approaching animal – this often makes animals feel less secure than when under the cover of darkness. 28 November 2017. To purchase: contact Kodiak Wildlife Products Inc. Bear Be Gone has been designed to resemble a garbage can. Most gardeners are aware of the problems caused by weeds, but there are garden plants - readily available to buy - that have the potential to become a nuisance. Black bears have been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks, binoculars and even their bare hands. You should notify your state wildlife agency in this situation. Of course, a well-trained pet dog or working dog can be much more effective when deterring bears from your property. Wildlife offices throughout Maine can provide assistance with … It will also help to avoid adding sweets and meats in compost as bears will feed on them. We have helped create a paradigm shift in people's attitudes toward bears and other wildlife by replacing fear and misunderstanding with respect and understanding. Black bears are generally timid and avoid people but if allowed access to human foods, chronic problems can develop. "Being good shepherds of bears involves making [your food, your pet’s food, the bird feeder, the garbage can] unavailable to bears, but it goes further than that. Maine Black Bear Photo: U.S. They are the only species of bear in the Southeast. The BPCA catalogue of the most common public health and nuisance pests has been created to enable members of the public to make an educated choice when considering pest control. In addition, disruptions in bears' natural food sources, such as scarcity caused by drought, may cause bears to wander into suburban landscapes in search of food. Shake it vigorously as you yell at the bear to leave, and then, perhaps, throw it beside the bear. Use lime to cut odours. The small hairy larvae of the carpet or fur beetles are known as "woolly bears". Bears are magnificent creatures, not just because of their size or their "cuteness," but also because of their intelligence. Some in situ or passive deterrents, like an electric fence, automatically provide negative feedback to bears when they approach your property or specific attractants, such as bee hives or fruit trees. With this, be sure to enclose compost so that bears will not find them. If you do encounter a bear, remain calm and remember that the bear is likely more scared of you than you are of him. Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters. It doesn’t ‘insult’ a bear to be put in its place; this happens to them most days with other bears, already. Search the internet for these products. Pest Advice for controlling Woolly Bears. What You Need To Know About The Black Bear. Black bears will scavenge a carcass or may kill and eat a small rodent on occasion but their diet mostly consists of berries, vegetation, and insects. There are lots of things you can do to deter a black bear from approaching or hanging around your property. They are stocky in structure with short, thick legs. Credits: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Dr. Martyn Obbard. Photos by Mike McIntosh. This lets the black bear know he has invaded your territory and is not welcome. Because black bears readily reproduce in captivity, there is no shortage of captive bears for zoos. Please do NOT use any other liquids or chemicals other than water or diluted vinegar. A well-aimed stone can help drive your message home. It should also have a strong foundation so that bears will not easily knock it down. This can be accomplished by placing the mat on the ground (i.e. Close Encounters: What To Do Always be ready for an encounter with a bear in bear country and carry pepper spray. Their coats are generall… How Do I Get Rid of Black Bear in Louisiana? Bear Be Gone can be purchased directly from Curley’s Critter Catchers Mfg. Keep meat scraps in your freezer until garbage pick- up day. In this case, an electrified mat is a much better option. Electrified mats, like cattle/horse guards, can also be effectively used as an unwelcome door/window mat to deter bears from entering buildings. You may even have all the supplies you need in the tool shed. There are lots of things you can do to deter a black bear from approaching or hanging around your property. This disturbance may not be acceptable to neighbours. They know the record shows that such bears are no more dangerous than other black bears. But grizzly (brown) bears are an entirely different matter! If it has no way to escape, it may interpret your efforts to scare it away as an attack and stand its ground in self-defense. It also involves learning enough to know that it’s okay to be ‘top dog’ to a bears. Big beach balls tossed at bears often scares them off, as do opening and closing an umbrella, shaking a big tarp or garbage bag, or banging pots and pans. Use electric fencing to protect valuable trees, orchards, beehives and vegetable and berry patches. These areas are the perfect place for bears to hide out, so block them off, particularly in winter. ~Anne Braaten, biologist, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Walking with polar bears – a dangerous trend. Keep meat scraps in your freezer until garbage pick- up day. Their quest often results in property damage and unwanted encounters with people. To keep bears away, follow this advice: Secure household garbage in a shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container (like a bear-resistant container or caddy). As for deterrents, one option is to surround your cottage with electric fence—the shock isn’t harmful, … Neighbors driving you crazy? It also involves learning enough to know that it's okay to be 'top dog' to a bears. When the motion detector senses movement, the Scarecrow sprays a 3 to 4 second burst of water and then resets itself. Attacks by black bears on people are very rare and most black bears can be easily scared away with the following approach: Stand and face the bear … To purchase, visit SmartHome.com or google “Scarecrow Animal Repeller.”. Black bears have well developed navigational abilities, though the specific mechanisms that they use are unknown. determine what attracted the bear and prevent it from happening again. Rinse containers before disposal and recycling. There are several tools available on the market today to help you keep curious or hungry bears away from you and your home, business or campsite. Do not cook, eat or store food in your tent. Being good shepherds of bears involves making [your food, your pet's food, the bird feeder, the garbage can] unavailable to bears, but it goes further than that. Black bears likely will run when you make noise by clapping, yelling, banging pots and pans, or blowing a boat air horn. If you’re experiencing break-ins of the ursine variety, try some anti-bear cottage upgrades: Instead of lever door handles, use knobs; put heavy frames and thick glass on the windows; and don’t keep a fridge in the porch where the bears can smell it (especially if it’s an old one with a leaky door seal). Although it may sound complicated and expensive, electric fencing is actually a relatively simple and cost-effective way to secure bear attractants that cannot be removed or otherwise contained. In addition to nuisance animal removal, I also include Black Bear Control and Prevention methods of black bears that might be a problem or nuisance to you. All Contents Copyright © 2021 Bear With Us. Adult black bears typically weigh 100-300 pounds, but males can exceed 500 pounds. Electric fences are easily adapted to a variety of situations – beehives, fruit orchards, hunting and backpacking camps, grain sheds, livestock enclosures, landfills, even high-use visitor areas and campgrounds – and are relatively easy to maintain and economical to build. Disclaimer: if you are dealing with a grizzly bear, do not attempt to get rid of it on your own! Bears are very intelligent; they learn quickly and remember well. If there are small cubs present, the sow (female bear) will need time to locate an alternate den and return to remove each cub. Please do NOT use any other liquids or chemicals other than water or diluted vinegar. Bears catch on quickly if everyone does the same thing, get used to it and soon ignore it. www.solarniteyes.com. The Critter Gitter detects animal movement up to 13.5 m (40ft) away using passive infrared, body heat or motion detection and then emits ear-piercing sounds and flashes lights. If you ask people who have been around bears, many of them would say that these mammals are almost like humans. << back. The Scarecrow is simple to use, safe and inexpensive. Bears typically den (hibernate) in fall (late October-early December) and emerge in spring (March-April). Do not feed other wildlife as you may attract bears. The spray head can be adjusted from 10°- 360° to cover a small or large area and has a 35-foot range for flexibility in placement. Male typically range in size from 150 to 350 pounds, with females ranging from 100 to 150 pounds. Wash garbage containers and dumpsters frequently. You can also watch a video of Bear Be Gone at work. If you feed birds, fill feeders only in late fall and empty them after mid- April when bears come out of their dens. (Click here to learn how to tell the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear.). Do not attempt to actively deter a grizzly bear from your property on your own — get yourself to a safe location and call a conservation officer immediately. Use bear-resistant containers. They invade in large flocks and can be difficult to get rid of. Do not put meat, fish or sweet food in your composter. The most effective long-term solution to conflicts between people and bears is removing, securing, and properly storing attractants such as bird-feeders, garbage, grills, pet and livestock foods, livestock, and bee hives. The BEAR League in Lake Tahoe tested this unit and says, “Rex works great and never needs to be fed, watered or walked.” Nonetheless, bears may become acclimatized to the sound over time and may not be deterred from the area, or they may not react at all to a recorded “bark”. Scat with fur in it is usually from a wolf, fox, coyote, or other carnivore. August 22, 2011. Consider eliminating the blackbirds' and starlings' natural habitat to successfully rid the nuisance birds from your property. After they’ve been picked on for a few minutes, go back inside your home, let them come down and watch them tear off. Bird feed such as suet and seeds are a very strong attraction for … Build a mat from plywood and nails/screws or electrify your mat. Clean up outdoor grills after use. Read an article about the product. www.dnr.sc.gov for further rules and regulations. He is on guard as long as he’s plugged in, barking when the bear is too near and quiet when the bear is gone. Stones should not be larger than a golf ball. ", Rex Plus Barking Dog Alarm – The Electronic Watchdog. Close off the areas below decks and porches in the winter. Keep them up there for a while, smacking the tree and yelling at them. One of the disadvantages of the Critter Gitter is that bears may become acclimatized to the sound and lights over time and no longer leave the area. When using this or any other deterrent, display a dominant body posture and use a stern tone of voice to ensure the black bear receives a clear message. With no bad karma as from a curse. To order online, just google “Rex Plus Barking Dog Alarm” or check with local retailers that sell pest control or security products. You don’t have to like bears to do these things; understanding these simple principles can help keep them out of your way, as well as saving their lives. No matter which tools you choose to protect yourself and your property, use direct eye contact and a take charge ATTITUDE with black bears! An unwelcome visitor: This bear returned several times after finding a birdfeeder filled with seed. Be alert for bears and signs of bear activity as they may have been attracted by previous campers. Turning a garden hose on a bear can also be very effective. tears into a storage shed. Removing and securing attractants is much more effective at reducing bear problems than trapping and moving bears. It doesn't 'insult' a bear to be put in its place; this happens to them most days with other bears, already. Unwelcome mats are basically boards full of upward-pointing nails placed in front of doors and windows to discourage bears from entering buildings. This practice ended in 2000 because trapping and moving bears does not resolve the underlying problem, which is the presence of attractive food sources provided by people. not on a wooden deck or concrete/asphalt); or by placing two mats side-by-side such that one grounds the other. Fill any Super Soaker water gun or similar product with water (or a bit of vinegar diluted in water) and aim directly for the bear’s face. And always ensure that the bear has a clear and safe avenue of escape with no people or obstacles in its way. It operates by radar and knows when a bear (or a burglar) is attempting to enter a house. Emails obtained by CBC News are shedding new light on how the Nova Scotia government makes decisions about black bear management in a province with limited space for wildlife. By Travis Faulkner. Bears are agile and quick, and they are excellent climbers. At home, black bears can be deterred with something as simple as a high-powered squirt gun. Not letting a bear graze in your front yard isn't 'harassing' it; it is merely asserting your personal space, something bears totally understand. Photography – Bear With Us. The best deterrent of all is to make sure there’s nothing at your home or on your property to attract bears in the first place, so be sure to review our Living with Bears brochure and fact sheets for bearproofing tips. If you feed birds, fill feeders only in late fall and empty them after mid- April when bears come out of their dens. Varying your technique each time a bear attempts to return to your yard works better than always using the same deterrent. Pick all ripe fruit off trees, and remove vegetables and fallen fruit from the ground. Pick all ripe fruit off trees, and remove vegetables and fallen fruit … Don’t aim directly into their eyes. Once a bear learns to get food from people, it can be difficult to change the animal’s behavior. Nuisance Black Bears and What to do With Them 5 Unlike brown bears (grizzly bears) and polar bears, black bears are primarily inhabitants of forested areas where they are best able to meet their needs for cover, food, and security from predators (including other bears). Simple, yet highly effective. NOTE: The electrified mat must be grounded. These work particularly well in areas where bears may already encounter rattlesnakes. Do not feed other wildlife as you may attract bears. bear safety at work; and managing bears (for wildlife officials). These medium sized black birds are about the size of a large robin and are a nuisance to backyard bird feeders everywhere. If You Encounter a Bear While Camping: Do not store food, garbage, or toiletries in your tent! Compost pile is another attractant for bears. frequents a residential area. Keep your campsite clean, and don’t burn food scraps or fat drippings in the fire. Bears are massive, strong animals. Here are several suggestions for getting rid of any variety of bear. Make sure you recognize and know the difference between types of bears. Residents will find it best to store garbage in steel bear- proof containers if possible. Keep food in the trunk of a vehicle, or hang your food pack at least 4 m off the ground between two trees well away from the campsite. If you want or need the bear to move on before spring, make loud noises and/or use lights. They are typically nocturnal and generally avoid people, but also readily adapt to and tolerate people. Metal Grates, that are very rough, can also be used to deter most bears from using an area. I continue to hear stories about bears that have become brave enough to walk right up on back porches, front porches, carports, barns, and just about anywhere they want. What To Do – Surprise & Close Encounters: Education Outreach Initiatives / Bear With Us Inc. You don't have to like bears to do these things; understanding these simple principles can help keep them out of your way, as well as saving their lives. The bear receives a shot of pepper spray in its face when it tries to take the bait, teaching bears to avoid both garbage cans and specific areas. A soup can filled with pebbles and taped shut makes an effective noisemaker. Wildlife Deterrent horns can be an effective means of scaring bears away. Super soakers can be purchased anywhere toys are sold. Have a look at a review of TOP 7 products that will be helpful in beaver control. Here is a wee witchcraft spell to help you out. It is difficult for a wild bear that roams in the forest for all its life to suddenly adapt to a small enclosure at a zoo or sanctuary. Don’t aim directly into their eyes. If you have a problem with black bears here are some ways to deter them: There are products on the market today to help you keep hungry bears away from you and your home or business. However, if the caloric value of the food is great enough, bears may be willing to tolerate the discomfort to get the food reward. With deer hunting, a lot of things can go wrong before and during the season that will knock you out of punching a tag. Download the instructions (courtesy of Bear Smart Durango). They also have color vision and keen senses. To purchase: contact Kodiak Wildlife Products Inc. Get a complete bear safety kit. get-at food. See . Residents who are receiving nocturnal visits from bears may be advised to install motion sensitive outdoor lights. Sprinkling lime on the compost will also help as bears … Even under the best circumstances at the best zoos, captivity cannot replicate a wild animal’s habitat. The purpose of a deterrent is to make your home less attractive and persuade an exploring bear to move on. If you don’t have a slingshot handy, you can always just throw stones at the bear’s rump – again don’t throw stones at the bears face or vital organs and ensure the stones are smaller than a golf ball. Please see our electric fencing page for more information on this useful tool. Unlike old slingshots, the laser slingshot hits targets with pinpoint accuracy. Grizzly bears are very dangerous. Safe, effective bear unwelcome mats are easily constructed from materials available from your local Hardware or Farm and Ranch supply stores. The Get Bear Smart Society works hard to ensure people and bears safely and respectfully coexist. enters a house. Rex is a barking dog that resides in a small box kept on your counter when you’re not home. Use lime to cut odours. Fill any Super Soaker water gun or similar product with water (or a bit of vinegar diluted in water) and aim directly for the bear’s face. Do not leave pet food outdoors at night. Keep your camp clean. They are small, light and easy to use, perfect for backcountry or home use. As a hunter, you basically have to be prepared for just about anything and everything under the sun. This device is hooked up to a normal garden hose and mounted in the ground. At home, black bears can be deterred with something as simple as a high-powered squirt gun. Black bears are abundant here and can be found in most areas of the province. Always use deterrents from a secure vantage point that provides the bear with an easy escape route. Use a galvanized hardware cloth to protect the most valuable trees and plants from beaver gnawing. Animals that are raised in captivity do well in captivity. The Falcon Supersound weighs just 1.5 oz and emits a piercing blast that can be heard up to 1/2 mile away. We’re not 100% sold that it would work with bears, but it’s guaranteed – you can return it if you’re not fully satisfied. Top-7 Products To Keep Beavers Away. Identification . When Black Bears Move in On Your Food Plot. Remember that even though an attractant to bears has been removed, it may take several days for a bear to stop visiting a particular area. Also, block off any crawlspaces below your home by nailing wood panels across them. At minimum, visual deterrents will serve as a warning that an intruder has entered the property. For instance, loud noises such as boat horns, gunshots, and barking dogs can oftentimes be enough to frighten off bears. Good housekeeping is a requirement wherever black bears are found. Keep in mind that the Critter Gitter will be triggered by any animal, including a raccoon, cat, dog or coyote that passes by the sensor, day or night. Metal grates must be wide enough so that the bear can not step or jump over them (see note above). This detector has been designed to change its sound and light patterns with each intrusion and automatically reset itself. 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