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Monday, March 11, 2019

Beware of bears

In won’t be long before the black bears will be coming out of hibernation. In fact, the NH Fish and Game has already warned that they are on the move in the southern part of the state. It won’t be long before they’ll be coming out here in the north.

This promises to be one of those bad years. When the bears went into hibernation they weren’t in great shape. It was a bad year for natural food sources. They didn’t put on as much fat as they normally do. After the bears wake they’ll be even hungrier than normal. Hunger will overrule their normal caution and they’ll get into trouble.

Most of the time, when bears come into conflict with humans it results in a dead bear. I know several people who’ve had to shoot bears. When a bear breaks into your house and comes into your kitchen, options are limited. The game wardens are pretty ticked off when someone shoots a bear, but if one came into my house that’s how it would end.

I still can’t believe there are still people who leave birdseed where a bear can get it. My trash doesn’t get put to the curb until just before the city truck comes by. People should take precautions about food that would attract bears.

Bears have a good memory. If they’ve found food on your property once they’ll keep checking. A neighbor used to keep bags of birdseed in a shed. One year a bear broke the door down and ran off with 20 pounds of birdseed. After that my neighbor kept the seed in his basement. No matter. For the next two years a bear would rip the door off the shed to see if there was food there again.

Normally, my dog is pretty good about chasing bears off the property. She will only harass them until they cross the property line. Dogs have a very good understanding of boundaries. Once the bear is off my land, its not my dog’s problem anymore. That’s pretty smart, really. How much should a little beagle mix be expected to stand up to a bear anyway?

A few years back some idiot fed a large mama bear just down the road from me. The bear became bolder and bolder and was starting to scare the guy. Then he moves away, leaving behind a large bear that was very accustomed to getting food from people. It was a problem bear for a couple years. I’m not sure what happened to the bear in the end, but I suspect that one hunting season a hunter shot it.

Personally, I’ve never hunted bears. The last thing in the world that I need is a dead bear. I’m rather fond of them. Because I like them so much I do what I can to keep them from becoming pests. I’m hoping we have a really good berry and nut year so they won’t be a problem. The only thing is, the bears wake up before most of their food sources are available. That’s when bad encounters are likely, and remember, when humans and bears clash, it’s always bad for he bear.



  1. Used to be that if I had to be away when trash day came I would soak a paper towel with ammonia and put that inside the garbage bag. This after having a large animal get into the trash can and strewing everything all over. Don't know if it was a bear but I've seen scat in the driveway. - Momlady

    1. It takes a lot to discourage a hungry bear. Good thing I'm home during trash pick up day. The ammonia trick worked for you, but didn't seem to slow them down around here.

  2. I know what you mean about bears expecting to have humans around once they get used to it. There's an animal rescue in Mena, Arkansas that has a bear, Toby, who was kept by folks when he was a cub. Got too big, turned loose, but he kept coming back for food and attention. Now a great big guy, but still tries to sit on the lap of his human friends. Cute, but not fair to any concerned.
    Be careful out there. Our squirrels and Mockingbirds are getting feisty!

    1. I'm glad squirrels aren't bigger. If you've every caught one in a live trap you'd realize how mean tempered they can be.

  3. Hi Six Bears,
    I concur with your take on"Bears!!" 'Not too many down here in my part of the woods... Louisiana... Last time i saw one in the wild it was running across Gum Springs Rd. on the way to Sugs mill Pond in S/E NC not far from Elizbeth Town.. 'Used t live in NC.. lots a bears there!! I'd rather leave 'em be.. they eat deer and there are plenty of deer.. I usedta' haveta' play dodge the deer all the time when i lived there!!

    1. I'm more than happy to leave them be -as long as they return the favor.