What’s up with bears this fall? It’s almost impossible to pick up a newspaper without seeing a picture of a bear that has gotten into trouble trying to find food.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear specialists say this fall’s bear encounters are due to a drought year that hammered wild bear foods like huckleberries and chokecherries and the "human factor."
"We have places where it is unlikely a bear will make it safely into a den this year without the help of concerned and caring people who meticulously remove temptations like garbage, apples, grain and bird seed," said Gary Hammond, FWP Wildlife Division management bureau chief. "Whether it’s a rural community or a suburb in the foothills, a cabin owner or a ranch, people can help make the difference on whether a bear makes it into hibernation without a problem."
Bears traditionally roam the foothills and bottomlands in the fall searching for food. As more human developments spring up in these areas, the temptations humans present can be overwhelming.
"If you required about 20,000 calories a day and had the choice of hiking all over a hillside for a paw full of ants or lounging in the shade eating juicy apples from a well-watered tree, which would you choose?" Hammond said.
Right now bears are voraciously searching for calories they and their cubs need to survive winter. It is serious business for them and this is when they are most vulnerable.
"We’ve seen that bears may even enter homes for food. If you live in or near bear country, it isn’t going too far to ensure that your doors are always securely closed and locked when you aren’t around or when you’re sleeping," Hammond said.
Cabin and homeowners can help by keeping grain, birdseed, dog food and other bear attractants safely behind closed garage doors or in a shed or barn with a secure door. Bear attractants like ripe apples or plums that have fallen to the ground need to be collected and stowed, too.
Cabin owners closing their cabins up for the season can survey the area to be sure anything a bear might view as easy pickings is safely stowed behind locked doors.
"People can make a big difference when they take these steps which will protect them and Montana’s bears," he said. "It’s guaranteed that you will have problems with bears this fall if a bear has access to garbage, grain, apples or any other foods in your yard or garage. It’s that simple."
Hammond said it’s equally simple to protect bears from being captured and relocated, with a strike against them, or even euthanized if they already have a record of getting into trouble.
Bear specialists around the state have compiled this checklist for responsible home and cabin owners:
* Birdseed and hummingbird feeders should be hung 10 feet up and 4 feet out from the nearest trees and with a rope and pulley system for refilling them.
* Pet food should be stored inside and pets fed inside. If you must feed pets outdoors, sweep up any spilled food immediately and bring bowls in at night.
* Barbeque grills should be cleaned and stored after each use in a secure shed or garage.
* Fruit should be picked from trees when ripe and fallen fruit immediately collected. Do not allow fruit to rot on the ground.
* Compost piles should be limited to grass, leaves, and garden clippings, and turn piles regularly. Adding lime can reduce smells and help decomposition. Do not add food scraps. Kitchen scraps can be composted indoors in a worm box with minimum odor and the finished compost can later be added to garden soil.
* Gardens should be harvested immediately as vegetables, fruits and herbs mature. Locate gardens away from forests and shrubs that bears may use for cover. Do not use blood meal.
* Landscaping, especially clover and dandelion roots will attract bears. Use native plant landscaping whenever possible, and do not seed in clover.
* Beehives, honey and bee larvae are especially attractive to bars. If you keep hives, elevate them on bear-proof platforms
Garbage:
* Store garbage in bear-resistant garbage cans or dumpsters.
* Or, store food-related garbage in a secure building bears can’t get into.
* Store empty recyclables, such as pop cans, indoors—the sweet smells attract bears.
* Decrease odors by storing garbage in tightly tied, heavy-duty bags, and garbage cans with tight lids.
* Remove garbage regularly.
* Store especially smelly garbage, such as meat or fish scraps, in a freezer until they can be taken to a refuse site.
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