All over rural America bear populations are thriving yet development closer to their habitat is creating confrontations between humans and bears typically caused by food. Birdfeeders, grills and trash cans are the main culprits.
Once a bear finds easy pickings they’ll be back and although they might be interesting to watch, a hungry bear can become aggressive and hurt an unsuspecting homeowner turning a corner in their garden or they can even break into your garage or screen porch looking for human food.
A problem some bear might need to be relocated or put down. Not a very good outcome caused by a careless homeowner.
Bird feeders should be taken in the spring and not put up again until the snow falls. Birds can find plenty of food on their own in the spring, summer and fall. That tasty pile of sunflower seeds will only attract bears.
Grills need to be kept clean so that a pile of grease doesn’t attract bears.
Trash cans are particularly troublesome. Each week a varied and tasty menu is placed out by the end of the driveway the night before – how can a bear resist?
Not only does the trash attract bears but the mess they leave behind attracts rodents and other animals and has to be cleaned up.
I was visiting my inlaws in Bozeman, Montana and the frat boys next door kept leaving a full trash can in the alley the night before trash day. I suppose because, after an afternoon of Beer Pong, none of them would be getting up early enough to put out the trash. Each week the trash was spewn all over the alleyway.
Here in New Hampshire, we have a consistent visit from a mamma bear and two cubs. There never seems to be a shortage of homeowners and renters putting out trash that just gets knocked over by this family of bears. Eventually, this will end in some level of tragedy, either for the bears, the property or an injury to a human.
Securing one trash can be as simple as a $20 solution such as these tie-downs available from Amazon.