Mom2Cool - electric fences do work well on bears. I use them in backcountry camps for brown bears all the time. I've used both permanent and temporary fences and they both work well. Bears can sense the electric pulse coming from the fence as well as the fact that they investigate everything with their nose, which is a tender place to take a shock.
I didn't see where you are located, so I can only make general recommendations for you. Electric fences can be charged using a battery, a solar panel or plugging in to 110 outlets. Solar panels are great because, while they are expensive up front, you have very little expensive after that. Batteries have to be recharged and plug-ins add to your electric bill. Each have their place though. I have successfully used solar panel chargers here on Kodiak, which has almost more rain and clouds than Seattle.
For the actual fence wire you can use smooth wire (NOT barbed wire), electrified net, electrified tape or polywire. I used smooth wire for a permanent installation around a cabin in the back-country. It's much more durable and will hold up to the wind and snow loads we get without breaking down. Electrified net and tape don't do so well for permanent fencing as the snow loads really affect them. I just put electrified tape around our chicken coop since we have several Kodiak brown bears in our neighborhood and it works great now, but I will eventually replace it with permanent smooth wire.
The only other consideration is the posts. You can use existing metal or wood posts, but will need plastic insulators for the wire/tape to run through. Or you can get fiberglass or insulated posts that work pretty well.
I purchased the supplies for the permanent fence through Premier 1 fencing. Just search for them on the net. I was able to call them up and tell them what I needed and they told me exactly what I needed to fit my requirements. You can also find fence kits at sporting goods stores or even fence parts at feed stores. The ones at sporting goods stores are usually only temporary packable fences and are quite expensive.
Whatever you decide on, be assured that the electric fences DO work. Our local bear biologists swear by them. And you definitely have to do something because it sounds like that mama bear is already teaching her cubs about finding an easy meal. They will become conditioned very quickly and end up dead bears if they aren't taught a lesson. If there are other ranchers or chicken raisers in your area you might encourage them to do the same thing.
Also, even once you get your fence up, if you see the bear in your area, haze it with cracker shells or bean bag bullets from a 12 gauge shotgun. Bears need to learn that it hurts to be around humans and then they will stay away from all humans, not just those with fences.
I didn't see where you are located, so I can only make general recommendations for you. Electric fences can be charged using a battery, a solar panel or plugging in to 110 outlets. Solar panels are great because, while they are expensive up front, you have very little expensive after that. Batteries have to be recharged and plug-ins add to your electric bill. Each have their place though. I have successfully used solar panel chargers here on Kodiak, which has almost more rain and clouds than Seattle.
For the actual fence wire you can use smooth wire (NOT barbed wire), electrified net, electrified tape or polywire. I used smooth wire for a permanent installation around a cabin in the back-country. It's much more durable and will hold up to the wind and snow loads we get without breaking down. Electrified net and tape don't do so well for permanent fencing as the snow loads really affect them. I just put electrified tape around our chicken coop since we have several Kodiak brown bears in our neighborhood and it works great now, but I will eventually replace it with permanent smooth wire.
The only other consideration is the posts. You can use existing metal or wood posts, but will need plastic insulators for the wire/tape to run through. Or you can get fiberglass or insulated posts that work pretty well.
I purchased the supplies for the permanent fence through Premier 1 fencing. Just search for them on the net. I was able to call them up and tell them what I needed and they told me exactly what I needed to fit my requirements. You can also find fence kits at sporting goods stores or even fence parts at feed stores. The ones at sporting goods stores are usually only temporary packable fences and are quite expensive.
Whatever you decide on, be assured that the electric fences DO work. Our local bear biologists swear by them. And you definitely have to do something because it sounds like that mama bear is already teaching her cubs about finding an easy meal. They will become conditioned very quickly and end up dead bears if they aren't taught a lesson. If there are other ranchers or chicken raisers in your area you might encourage them to do the same thing.
Also, even once you get your fence up, if you see the bear in your area, haze it with cracker shells or bean bag bullets from a 12 gauge shotgun. Bears need to learn that it hurts to be around humans and then they will stay away from all humans, not just those with fences.
