Bear in my FRONT YARD!

[arlee453]

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Gee - and for all these years I figured that a bear poops in the woods...

Hope your chicks stay safe!!

 

[Oblio13]

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Kelly, don't take that advice. Problem bears are very rare. We have lots of them around here, and they are shy and retiring. The bold ones get weeded out every hunting season. I've hunted them my entire adult life and only gotten two so far - they avoid people unless they've been conditioned otherwise by garbage or something. Black bears are far less dangerous than dogs, lawnmowers, bicycles or swimming pools.

They're fascinating critters to have around, and well worth the little trouble it takes to live with them.

If you're really concerned, electric fencing keeps them away from beehives around here, and they like honey a lot more than chickens.

If a particular bear does become a problem, then fill your freezer and get a nice rug. If you enjoy hunting, there's no more challenging animal. But otherwise, enjoy having them add life and interest to the woods. There's no reason to eliminate them indescriminately.

Pic from my front yard last year:

 

[MissPrissy]

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Bears have always been in SC and Ga. I am from the central savannah river area. We would occassionally see them. Depending on how rural your area is you would see more or less of them.

The problem is not that they are moving to SC but so much development is going on people are encroaching on the places where they have lived and now they are moving around looking for new places to live and food to eat.

 

[Buster]

Lucky you guys who only have to deal with black bears. I encountered black bears a couple years ago on a hunting trip. I saw three cubs but not the sow, although I knew that she could see me.

The real threat in Idaho is grizzly bears. Someone decided it would be a good idea for us to have them again. I heard they used to be in California. Why don't they want them back as well?

 

[morelcabin]

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Kelly, don't take that advice. Problem bears are very rare. We have lots of them around here, and they are shy and retiring. The bold ones get weeded out every hunting season. I've hunted them my entire adult life and only gotten two so far - they avoid people unless they've been conditioned otherwise by garbage or something. Black bears are far less dangerous than dogs, lawnmowers, bicycles or swimming pools.

They're fascinating critters to have around, and well worth the little trouble it takes to live with them.

If you're really concerned, electric fencing keeps them away from beehives around here, and they like honey a lot more than chickens.

If a particular bear does become a problem, then fill your freezer and get a nice rug. If you enjoy hunting, there's no more challenging animal. But otherwise, enjoy having them add life and interest to the woods. There's no reason to eliminate them indescriminately.

Oblio13...Now this is the best advice I've heard in a long time! In Ontario they have banned the spring hunt the last 8 years or so. We have quite the overpopulation of bears, but they really aren't a nusance unless you leave your garbage out for them. And it is very true that problem bears are very rare. I know I have been watched by bears a few times...I can smell them, can't see them. I have had neighbors come up my drive to tell me they saw a bear follow me back for the mailbox. No big deal...they never allow themselves to be seen and they haven't bothered me.
Leave the bears alone unless they really become a threat...they'll leave you alone 99.999% of the time too

 

[KellyGwen]

Thanks for all of the responses! I live in the "Wilds of PA" (or at least darn close) and I KNOW there are lots of animals around here that would be interested in a nice chicken dinner. I built my coop and run to be VERY secure (although not even MY house is bear-proof!!)

I used to live a few hours east of here between a 400 acre farm and a gun club/hunting preserve... We had bobcat, bear.. and god knows what else. My neighbor had a few dozen chickens and the biggest threat to them were the possums!

I'm going to wait and see what happens. I don't have power in my coop, so running elec out there would be a HUGE hassle (it's not close to the house). My dog is penned right next to it (until evening time, then she comes in), the food is all stored in metal cans... and I'm having my BF pee all around the fence! (I just don't have the equipment for that defense!)

I do know bears will naturally avoid people... unless they have a couple babies and feel that they are threatened. We have cats who live outside, their food is out by our garage... and the bear isn't interested in that...

Since we are out in the boondocks (with many much bigger "farms" surrounding us) I'm SURE there are more interesting (and profitable) places for this bear to stop for lunch.

My mother saw a MOUNTAIN LION in her yard TWICE (in central Mass)... but the only animal she had to protect was her poodle...

I have several rather large guns, and know how to use them... but I also have a camera... and I really prefer using that.

I guess if something is going to happen I'll have to learn the hard way... Just call me Roosevelt!

 

[rooster-red]

We've had a black bear coming onto the property for the last couple of years, it comes up to feed on the blackberries at the lower edge of my garden, eats its fill and sometimes it beds down there for the night.

This is about 200 yards from my coops.

I keep tabs on it, checking for tracks and scat near the house but never find any, it never gets into our garbage either, seems to be content with the berries.

I have sheet metal all along the bottom of the run fences that runs 2 ft up the fence and makes noise if anything gets close enough to bump it, and it definately won't stop a bear, but would alert me that something was trying to get in.

I definately have the firepower to take down a bear (.44 mag) and would not hesitate to use it if need be, but as long as it isn't trying to get to my chickens I see no reason to do so.

 

[ravenfeathers]

we have lots of black bears where i am; i even had one on my deck one night, raiding the metal garbage can with our bird seed. i'm still kicking myself for not snapping a picture of his antics. i chased him off three times before finally giving up and bringing my bird seed inside for the night. the last time i chased him off (verbally, you understand, although the mental image of someone chasing off a bear on foot in the night is amusing), he slithered down the dozen or so stairs to the ground, coasting on his belly. what a funny guy!

in my experience, roving bears are looking for an easy meal. if they want into your coop or run, they'll get in, but they'd much rather rummage through your garbage.

i have the advantage of a 70# yellow lab who won't tolerate a bear in sight if she's out and about. while i still find bear scat in our back pasture, they've left my stock and my grain supplies alone. they've even left the bird feeders alone since the dog saw a few of them off.

 

[dacjohns]

Bear in the yard. Cool. Bear in the yard. Oh oh, how am I going to protect my chicks.

If you can make your house bear proof you can make your chicken bear proof. Lot of work and expense.

If you feed them they will come and come back. Don't feed them, this includes taking in bird feeders and pet food at night. And your trash.

On another note. It is very disturbing that in so many of the predator posts the advice given is the kill the critter that might or did eat my chickens. Check your hunting and fishing laws,wildlife protection laws, and federal laws pertaining to birds. You might be setting yourself up for some big trouble with the law. Once US Fish and Wildlife Service gets wind (if they haven't already) of this forum they will be looking if they think it is a big enough problem. They busted a bunch of folks that raised tumbling pigeons a while back for killing hawks.

Buster, no need to bash California because of Idaho's grizzly bears. They were part of the ecosystem way before they were extirpated in CA.

Panner,why are you baiting the bear. Is that legal

 

[panner123]

Just storing my feed where I can protect it. When a bear goes after a bee hive, it is not the honey it is after, it is the brood. This includes eggs, larve and bees. Anyone that thinks they can bear proof a coop or house should look at what the Forest Service does in camp grounds in bear country. Or go to Yosemite and look at the lockers they make you put your food in. If you really want to see just what a bear willl do, bring your car around and we will leave a candy bar inside it. A bear will tear the door off a car before you can bink your eyes. I have lived on the edge of the national forest for many years and never had a problem with bear until the last six or seven years.
Now I won't go down by the pond or the river without sonething that will stop a bear. I have killed two bears coming in the house, one though the bedroom window and the other though the front door (it was closed).
He didn't use the door knob either. Do I kill ever bear I see?, no. But I do kill ever one that is after my critters. You bet ya. We wouldn't have the problem with bear here if the retirees from San Francisco and L A would keep there property free of garbage and clean thier bar be que.