Spring is a critical time for bears as they emerge from hibernation and search for food. Natural food sources can be scarce early in the season, making unsecured garbage, pet food, bird feeders, and other human-related attractants a significant temptation. If a bear becomes accustomed to unnatural foods, it can lead to conflicts between bears and humans.
Fish and Game recommends the following steps to avoid conflicts between humans and bears:
Living in Bear Country
- Secure garbage in bear-resistant containers or store it indoors or in a hard-sided, locked building until the morning of pickup.
- Remove bird feeders completely, or only use them when bears are hibernating (November–March).
- Store pet food and livestock feed inside or in a hard-sided, locked building. Clean up any spilled food.
- Keep BBQ grills clean and store them in a secure location.
- Protect livestock, beehives, fruit trees, and compost with electric fencing.
Campers
- Keep food and anything with a scent out of tents.
- Dispose of garbage in provided containers; otherwise, take it with you and dispose of it properly elsewhere. Do not bury or burn garbage.
- Properly store unattended food and anything else with a scent. Food storage options are:
- Bear boxes
- Hard-sided vehicles (car, truck, RV). Avoid leaving attractants in vehicles for extended periods (backcountry trips)
- Certified bear-resistant containers
- Electric fencing, depending on local regulations and model or configuration of fence.
Hikers
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
- Hike in groups of three or more people. Avoid hiking after dark, or at dawn or dusk, when bears are most active. Use extra caution in places where visibility or hearing is limited, such as bushy areas near streams.
- Be alert. See the bear before you surprise it. Watch for fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites (signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills).
- Make noise. When hiking, periodically yell “Hey bear!” to alert bears to your presence, especially when walking through dense vegetation/blind spots, traveling upwind, near loud streams, or on windy days. Avoid thick brush whenever possible. Bears often use the same trails hikers do, and are attracted to sources of food like berry patches or carcasses.
- View and photograph all wildlife from a distance. You should never come closer than 100 yards to a bear.
“Using these Bear Aware principles and being proactive in securing food sources is vital to preventing conflicts with bears,” says James Brower, Regional Communications Manager with Fish and Game. “A few simple actions will go a long way to help keep both people and bears safe this spring.”
