bear proof your property

Along with managing your garbage and attractants there are a number of measures you can use to deter bears from entering your property. By bear proofing you home you can avoid unwanted human-bear encounters that can lead to the uneccessary killing of our bears.

landscaping and gardening

• Clear shrubs and bush away from doorways and children’s play areas. Bears and other wildlife prefer to have cover through which to travel so creating an open space may make them reluctant to enter your yard.

• Bears love clover, dandelions and a variety of grasses. It is good to keep your lawn mowed to discourage growth.

• While not a first choice vegetable gardens can be an attractant for our bears: particularly those with root vegetables.

• An electric fence can help keep out bears and other wildlife from vegetable gardens and from fruit trees.

• If you do have fruit trees please consider using an electric fence. Otherwise harvest fruit before it ripens and ripen indoors.

• Pick up all windfall within 1-2 days. If you can’t pick your fruit ask a friend or neighbour to do so for you or consider taking down your fruit tree/s.

• Do not use fish fertilizer or blood meal in your garden: these are also attractants for our bears.

• Refrain from using outdoor refrigerators or freezers and do not store food products in an outdoor shed.

There is an extensive list of plants that are bear attractants available courtesy of the Get Bear Smart Society at: Bear Friendly Landscaping

keep vehicles and home windows closed and doors locked

Our bears are highly intelligent: along with their keen sense of smell they can be attracted to the slightest aroma in your car such as a candy wrapper or scented air freshener. Please keep your vehicle windows closed and locked and doors locked to avoid damage and a surprise encounter.

Bears can be drawn to open windows in your home, especially if food odors are present. We encourage you to keep windows closed when bears are active. Doors with latch handles can be easily opened by a bear. A bear who has entered a home is considered a safety risk and may be faced with an early death.

Outdoor refridgerators and freezers

Refrain from using outdoor fridges and freezers to store food.

deterrents and repellents

Our bears are usually rather timid and are easily shooed away with a firm and calm voice tone but there are times when a bear may become more persistent and stay in your yard repeatedly (always make sure your yard is free of garbage and attractants that are causing the bear to return). Sometimes a radio playing in an enclosed garage or shed may be sufficient to deter the bear, or a motion sensor light. But other times something a bit more startling is necessitated. There are a number of home made and commercially made products that can be used to deter or repel bears on your property such as:

• A large beach ball thrown at the bear, a large plastic bag being shaken, pots and pans, or a can filled with pebbles, sealed and shaken.

• An ‘unwelcome doormat',’ the ‘critter gitter,’ and the ‘scarecrow,’ are examples of commercial products that function as deterrents.

• We do not recommend the use of bear bangers or air horns. They can be dangerous and can cause the bear to panic and run straight toward you rather than away.

• Pine-sol doused rags in a bucket or inside your garbage can are a simple and effective repellent.

BEAR REPELLENT AND DETERRENT CARDS: just ask for one when you see us in the community with our information booth or email us and we can mail directly to you.

chickens,bees,livestock and electric fencing

Bears are sometimes referred to as ‘opportunistic omnivores,’ meaning that along with their consumption of plant matter they will also take advantage of food sources such as small livestock including; chickens, sheep, calves, goats, rabbits, pigs and bees where available and unprotected.

Foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats and coyotes also prey on chickens so in the avoidable event that your livestock show evidence of being harassed, or sadly are unnecessarily killed, please do not immediately assume a bear was involved.

If bears do find an easy food reward by accessing your livestock and/or livestock feed they will continue to return to your location in search of food.  Regular fencing does not keep out a determined bear especially if natural food sources are scarce. Please consider bringing livestock, particularly the smaller animals, inside to a secure pen or coop at nighttime. There are a number of different commercial products that may be worth trying to deter a bear from accessing a pen such as: motion lights or strobe lights or noise makers (go to our Repellent and Deterrent page to learn more). However, the best way to protect your chickens and other livestock is with electric fencing.

electric fencing

Electric fencing is a fairly simple and inexpensive way to protect; small livestock and livestock feed, beehives, poultry pens, smokers, outbuildings, orchards and vineyards, berries, vegetable gardens with corn, root vegetables and pumpkins.

Electric fencing delivers a non-lethal electric shock to a bear or other animal: given that bears are highly intelligent they learn very quickly that this is not an easy way to access a food reward.

Please teach children to stay away from any electric fencing and make sure to place signage on the fence indicating electrification.

If you or your canine companion accidentally contact the electric fence you will experience some discomfort but no permanent damage.

The height,length and voltage of electric fencing you will need will depend on what animals or items you are securing and from what animals you are securing them from. For instance protection from a bear requires a fence having five strands and a voltage of approximately 6,000 volts.

Always check before you dig to make sure no gas/water lines are in the area and check with your local bylaws for any regulations regarding electric fencing.

Electric fencing can be purchased at most local hardware and feed supply establishments or online. Electric fencing can be of the portable design for use around free ranging chickens and roosters or permanent for placement around coops, apiaries, livestock and their feed.

Unwelcome Mats

Electrified unwelcome mats - watch video - Now available in Canada from Margo Supplies Email: info@margosupplies.com

Toll Free: 1-888-652-1199 - Economical DIY - Instructions

ELECTRIC FENCING ‘ BEGINNERS GUIDE’

https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/conservation/wildlife-reports/bears/mfwp_electric-fencing-guide_v4.0.pdf

ELECTRIC FENCING “How to Video”

https://peopleandcarnivores.org/electric-fence-manual

ELECTRIC FENCING IN BEAR COUNTRY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqIRMavnahE&t=38s

Wildsafe BC has excellent information on setting up your electric fencing.

You can visit them at: https://wildsafebc.com/learn/electric-fencing/

The Bear Sentry System offers a variety of electric fencing options to protect your chickens, bees and other livestock.

Vist them at https://www.bearsentry.com/

if you see a bear in your yard  

If a bear is simply passing though please let it be. You can set boundaries with a bear. If you have a large or rural property, you may decide to allow it to stop and feed on dandelions or clover at a safe distance. A bear should never be allowed to feel comfortable while feeding on anthropogenic attractants in your yard. The bear is now in your home, so do what you can to safely discourage the bear from lingering. The safest and absolutely most effective method is to MANAGE YOUR ATTRACTANTS! This will keep you and the bears safe.

And yes, you should scare a bear away from attractants like garbage, bird feeders, or pet food. Hazing them reinforces their natural fear of humans and prevents them from becoming "food-conditioned," which is a leading cause of bears being killed.

How to Safely Scare a Black Bear

When hazing, it is important to begin with the minimum and increase intensity only if needed. Bears can become accustomed to our voices and immune to deterrents. Your attitude is the most important aspect while hazing. Take on a dominant attitude, reflected in a stern voice when using hazing tools. AND MEAN IT!

• Bring your children and pets inside. DO NOT watch the bear displaying inappropriate behaviour from your window or balcony, nor take photographs at this time. It knows perfectly well where you are and this kind of behaviour shows it that you are being submissive in “your own den’. It teaches the bear that it can do whatever it feels like around YOUR HOME!

• Have bear spray ready: Always have bear spray on hand as a backup in case the bear does not leave immediately.

• Haze as a group: The more people involved, the safer and more effective the hazing outcome will be.

• Make yourself known: From a safe location, like your house or a vehicle, assert your dominance by standing tall and waving your arms.

• Make loud noises: Yell firmly, “Get out of here bear!” Clap your hands, bang pots and pans, AND REALLY MEAN IT!

• Use deterrents: You can use your car horn, air horns, bear bangers, or a variety of other noise makers and deterrents, like motion-activated sprinklers or alarms. Waving an empty plastic garbage bag can do the trick too! MORE ABOUT DETERRENTS!

When NOT to Scare a Bear

While hazing is important for long term safety, there are specific situations where you should not scare a bear:

• It has no escape route: Do not haze a bear if it would be forced towards people, pets, or busy roads.

• It has cubs: Black bear moms can react defensively, but it is rare. Grizzly mothers can become highly defensively if they feel their cubs are threatened.

• It is in the wild: Leave bears alone in their natural habitat, like the forest, and not near human property.

• It is already running away: If a bear is already fleeing or climbing a tree to get away from you, stop hazing and let it go.

• Once the bear has left, remove all attractants from the yard. Keep in mind that it will likely return several times to check for the same food it found previously. 

• Make sure you keep your doors and windows closed and locked. Bears are highly intelligent and are keenly aware of where their food supply formerly originated. Entering a home almost always ensures the demise of a bear. Consider using an ‘UNWELCOME MAT’. *CONSTRUCT YOUR OWN*

• Remind your neighbours to secure all garbage and remove attractants. Please do so without inviting extra attention by inviting friends and neighbours to watch the bear.

If you see a bear up a tree, give it space and go inside. Remember not to be a looky-loo. A black bear will climb a tree because it is anxious and stressed. Give it time. The bear may wait until nightfall to come down.

Be aware that bears can and do run down trees in a flash, even if you, your kids or your dog are below.

Please contact us for more information

Although bears tend to be most active during the early morning and early evening hours, they may come around at any time during the day or night. Always check for bears and other wildlife and make noise before letting your pet outside.

diy bear resistant garbage bin enclosure for residential use

Photo and other bear resistant enclsoure guidelines courtesy of City of Port Moody.

A typical wooden garden shed having wooden slats or a thin metal garden shed is not a bear proof structure.

If black bears can get their claws under or in between wooden slats they can then tear that wood off the structure. And we have seen numerous metal garden shed doors easily crumpled by a bear trying to gain access to a garbage bin stored in a metal shed.

Pictured above is a DIY version of a bear proof container using metal flashings around a solid wood construction with metal crossbars to latch the doors: any gaps should be less than 3/8". See the document below for more ideas on making an enclosure bear resistant.

https://www.portmoody.ca/common/Services/eDocs.ashx?docnumber=387199

 BEAR IN YOUR HOME

Bears spend a good portion of their time seeking out food sources. Bears that gain access to garbage and other attractants will then continue to spend more time in urban areas where unwanted human - bear encounters may occur such as a bear gaining entry to your home or business.

There are a few preventative measures you can use to deter a bear from entering a home or building:

• Follow guidelines for garbage and attractant management around your home and yard.

• Keep entryways free of shrubs and any overgrowth and consider using motion sensor lighting.

• Ideally keep doors and windows closed and locked.

• If a bear is persistent in trying to gain access to your home or establishment consider using one of the commercial products available such as the electric, “Unwelcome Mat,” but only if you have successfully eliminated all garbage and attractant issues first.

If a bear has entered your home or establishment:

• Back away slowly while repeating, “Hey bear,” in a calm voice

• Do not corner the bear. Give him/her a clear exit route. DO NOT lock the bear in a room. Leave the doors open as your leave the building.

• NEVER approach a bear.

Managing Bear Attractants around your Home  

Bear Attractants consist of: 

It is a good idea to rinse food containers before throwing them in the trash, rinse recyclables well also. Bears have an incredible sense of smell, but the stronger the odour, the further the distance bears can smell your garbage. Food items should not be in the garbage, they are to be composted. Tip: Separate your smelly garbage from the non smelly, so that with every little item you put into your bin you are not affronted by the smell; then it's much easier to keep it all in the house till morning of pickup. Making less garbage in the first place is ideal.

GARBAGE 

• Rinse and drain any odourous, wet items and/or freeze odourous items until the day of collection. 

• Ideally store your garbage and recycling in an enclosed garage or inside your home until collection day. Put your garbage out no earlier than 0700 am the day of pick-up. Never put your garbage out overnight!

• If you have to store garbage bins in an open garage, secure your bins with a locking chain to a stationery object, and spray the bin and surrounding area with household bleach and water or Pinesol. Avoid Lemon Scented; use the Original Pine scent only. Bears are highly attracted to sweet, fruity, and citrus odours; using lemon-scented cleaners will actually draw bears in rather than deterring them. Bears love ant larvae; they are full of formic acid and smell like lemon. (Citronella, a lemon scented bug repellant, is also not recommended in bear country.)

• Securing the bin prevents a bear from tipping open the contents.

• Consider purchasing a bear proof garbage bin or constructing a DIY bear proof container.

recyclables

• Rinse recycleable items well before placing in bin.

BIRD FEEDERS 

• Bird seed is a major attractant for bears as it is highly caloric and often easily accessible. Limit use of birdfeeders to winter months only and consider intermittent plate feeding rather than traditional bird feeders. 

• Use birdbaths, sand baths or houses to attract birds to your yard.

pet food

• Never leave pet food outside. If you feed pets outside bring in dishes at night.

barbeques

• Burn off grill at high heat for 10 minutes after each use. Clean grease trap after each use. Store BBQ in secure area after using. 

COMPOST 

• Never add meat, fish, oils, fat, eggshells or cooked food, cereals or grains

• Turn regularly to oxygenate and use equal amounts of green (kitchen scraps and lawn clippings) to brown (dried leaves, grasses).

• It is not ideal to use an outdoor composter unless it is secured within electric fencing. The following are indoor composting solutions: 

http://joracanada.ca/en/joracan-new-era-composters-are-certified-bear-proof/ 
https://www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/best-indoor-composting-units/ 

LIVESTOCK AND FEED 

• Keep feed secured and inside a bear proof building. 

• Keep chickens and other livestock sheltered at night and electric fence their outdoor area to protect them from predators. 

• Keep young animals close to the home. 

FRUIT TREES AND BERRIES 

• If you do not use your fruit or berries & are not able to make available to others consider replacing with a non-fruit bearing, native variety. 

• Don’t allow windfall to accumulate. Pick your fruit and allow ripening indoors or picking daily as fruit ripens. 

deterrents and devices

Click here for various other REPELLANTS AND DETERRENTS.

Solar Motion Sensor Alarm

The Solar Outdoor Motion Sensor Alarm is a device that may help teach bears that your property is not a good place to visit. We can lend it to you for up to 2 weeks at a time; if the alarm is successful at deterring bears, you may choose to purchase your own on Amazon or feel free to borrow one from us again. Email us at scbearalliance@gmail.com for inquiries.

Disclaimer: You are responsible for a stolen or damaged alarm and will be charged the full cost of the device. Renting the device from us constitutes understanding of and agreement to the above statement.

how this works

The device will come fully charged for immediate use; according to the manufacturer the charge lasts up to 1 week. A USB charger is included, but please DO NOT charge the alarm for more than 2 hours, as overcharging could cause damage. The remote control has 3 settings: Mode A - 24hrs motion sensor alarm & flashing, Mode B - Night motion sensor alarm & flashing, Mode C - Night cyclic alarm & flashing every 5 mins.

The device originally comes with loud gunshot and dog barking sounds, but in order reduce disturbance to your neighbours, we have deleted them and created our own recording. Please DO NOT change it.

Place the alarm in the area of concern, but not where it can be easily stolen. IMPORTANT: Cover the device to protect it from direct sun and rain. Turn it on by pressing the A, B or C button on the remote. Upon startup, the recording will play by default. Subsequently, when a motion is sensed from a human or an animal, it will play for 40 seconds and then stop. If you turn the sound off with the remote (you need to be relatively close to the device), you will have to turn it back on by selecting the preferred mode on the remote. Again, the recording will first play by default before it is ready.

IMPORTANT: We ask that residents handle the device with care to prevent damage and early wear and tear. Thank you!