● Store garbage in secure, airtight bear-proof trash cans inside a locked garage or storage area. Adding ammonia to cans and bags will reduce odors that attract bears. Bear-resistant cans and dumpsters are available at https://www.bearicuda.com/
● Garbage for pickup should be put outside the morning of collection and not the night before.
● Bring in bird feeders March through November.
● Screens don’t keep bears out. And screens and open doors and windows do not prevent these opportunistic feeders from smelling what’s on the menu at your house. Experts say a black bear can smell food from over two miles away. Keep all bear-accessible windows closed and locked. If you must leave a downstairs window open, install sturdy grates or bars.
● Don’t leave garage doors open. Install extra-sturdy doors if you have a freezer, refrigerator, pet food, bird seed or other attractants in your garage.
● Protect attractants, such as bee hives and chicken coops, with electric fencing.
● Some weird things can even attract bears. Formaldehyde smells like ants and bears love ants. So, anything insulated with a material made with formaldehyde, such as hot tub covers, bicycle and snowmobile seats, and refrigerators and freezers may attract bears. Lantern and propane stove fuel, as well as citronella and scented candles, are also attractive to bears.
● Keep grills clean.
● If a bear is in your yard, while it may be tempting to take a video, it’s best to make bears feel unwelcome by making loud noises with an air horn, hand-clapping or yelling.
● You can purchase our black bear brochure here.