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REDUCING BEAR CONFLICTS
REDUCING BEAR CONFLICTS
Black bears are attracted to numerous items around
homes including: bird feeders, compost piles, grills, pet
food, gardens, and garbage. Here are some simple
recommendations to avoid problem bears:
Bird feeders
Make bird feeders inaccessible to bears by hanging
them at least 10 ft off the ground, and 5 ft away
from tree trunks, or on a limb that will not support a
bear. (You can still refill the feeder easily using a
pulley system.)
Consider taking bird feeders down at the end of
winter (mid-April) when bears emerge from their
winter dens.
During spring and summer bring feeders inside at
night, a time when bears frequent stations.
Clean up spilled bird seed below feeder stations.
If you see a bear at a bird feeder during the day,
take the feeder down and discontinue all feeding for
at least two weeks.
Garbage cans
Keep your garbage cans tightly closed, and indoors if
possible.
Pick up loose or spilled garbage so that it doesnt
attract bears.
Occasionally clean out your garbage cans with
ammonia to make them less attractive to bears.
And a few more . . .
NEVER FEED A BEAR! Intentional feeding will
create a bear that is habituated to humans, and may
become a possible nuisance to you and other people
in the area. The bear will not forget the feeding
experience, and will tend to get more demanding
with time.
Bring in pet food at night
Source: Wisconsin DNR
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