Preventing Bear Problems
When it comes to North American pests, there is none bigger than the bear. People dwelling in urban areas of the States and Canada have little to worry about when it comes to bear problems, but the same is not true in the even bordering rural neighbourhoods. Even the most densely populated state of New Jersey is home to hundreds of black bears, and every year there are problems that range from the messy to the deadly involving these bears.
It might be difficult to conceive of black bears in the same pest category as raccoons and even insects, but just one bear can do an awful lot of damage to a home and/or garden in one night. Surprising, they are also a lot easier to control through prevention than almost any other kind of pest, although you certainly don’t want to attempt to deal with a bear yourself. Here are some ways to make sure that your home and the area around it remain bear proof.
* Keep garbage inside. In areas where bears are a major problem, it is sometimes required by law that home owners keep their trash cans inside until the morning of their garbage pick up day. This is god practice even if it isn’t law; bears are creatures of habit and will soon know which nights you have your garbage cans out if you do put them out before. And if you keep the garbage and can out all the time, you’re just looking for a bear to come snooping around!
* Pick ripe fruit. Fruit on trees and fruit lying on the ground are big temptations for hungry bears, and you need to make sure you control the output of your crops. Pick up any fruit that falls to the ground and harvest fruit just before it turns ripe so that the smell does not attract bears.
* Put up fences. Bears, like all animals, prefer the path of least resistance. Although they could easily climb over or go through many types of fences, they will not do so unless desperate. A good wire fence is often enough to keep a bear out of a yard, provided that it encompasses the whole perimeter.
If you do see a bear around, never approach it! This is one pest that always needs to be dealt with officially, so call your local pest or animal control office about the issue. Odds are though that even if you live in an area with a large population of black bears, using good preventative measures will mean you never see one in your own yard!