Bear ripping into chicken barn

[0wen]

I think that's relatively fair effort. It might not feel like it since it's an immediate problem for you, but the fact that they've set traps a couple of times shows a willingness to at least try. Keep contacting them and request trapping assistance. I looked over the laws for PA and large game regulations are pretty tight there, so your basic options are (1) electric fencing/netting to try and make the area inhospitable to bears and hope they move on (2) keep pressing the issue through the proper channels and hope they eventually capture the bear, or (3) Eliminate the threat yourself, being full aware that it is illegal. Not suggesting that you do it because I don't fully understand your situation or the full scope of the law in PA (google shows a lot of people being fined/jailed for doing so), but if a dangerous animal of any kind were a threat to my family or myself, I'd dispatch him at the earliest opportunity. "Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6" philosophy and all...

 

[Folly's place]

Electric tape and/ or netting, properly set up, will be a huge help. Check premier1supplies.com for advice and products, they are wonderful! I would also persist in getting that bear trapped or removed somehow,; sounds dangerous. Living in northern Wisconsin (black bear country) years ago, bears avoided people because there was some hunting pressure, and we didn't leave food out or otherwise encourage visits. Chicken coops are delightful for the bear, and need protection. Mary

 

[BackYarding GC]

If it is killing your birds, and destroying property near or right outside your home its time to kill that thing before a human gets hurt or worse killed.

You will not be going to jail if it is self defense and if they claim that is the case take them to court as theres no way they can legally say "you can't stop a bear from harming you".

A shotgun with 12 gauge 00 will work but make sure to have a second shooter at the ready as a wounded animal is dangerous, drop it hard and fast.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

That is definitely a nuisance bear and needs to be shot. I don't blame you for being nervous. Electric poultry netting is probably your only choice.....and shoot that bear! I'm really kinda surprised the authorities aren't making a bigger effort to track this bear. A child could end up getting hurt.

Regardless of what Walt Disney has to say on the subject Black Bears are a definite predator of human beings, especially of the young, women, and small children. The worst offenders are healthy adult male bears who seemingly become curious about what people taste like, decide to sneak a bite, and then can't stop at just one..

Recently as many as 16 North Americans have been killed in a single decade by Black Bears. None of the attacks seemed to be defensive attacks.
They all seemed to be predatory attacks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America

 

[mrsfeig86]

My Dad keeps arguing that black bears are completely harmless that they are more afraid of us then we are of them... While I think that may have been true at one point, I think it's not true anymore and especially not true with the bear that they are dealing with right now. I just wish it was a little easier to explain to someone who has taught me things all my life that wildlife is evolving.

 

[BackYarding GC]

Most times bears are afraid of people but in this case the bear is associating people with food and it is no longer afraid of humans which is not good.

I like animals but when they become a threat like this one its time to either A. Tranq it, and relocate it to a reserve where people are not allowed or B. Put it down before it hurts/kills someone.

Sad yes but this bear is a problem now that will only get more and more bold.

 

[mrsfeig86]

The move is happening this week and I need advice!!
My chicks and ducks have been able to kind of roam free where we are currently living.. Are they going to adjust well to living 24/7 in a chicken barn? We are too scared to put a run on their house with the bear problem.

 

[Bird Zoo 45]

I have also had an bear experience, only I lost a couple Thousand dollars worth of birds and enclosure damages. However with a background in the exotic animal industry and having a large network of people that have exotics and have trained and kept bears, lions, tigers, ect. I always knew that electric fence was a good way to keep out predators however bears as a general rule have a extreme dislike for the stuff. In fact i had a friend tell me (who used to work in a zoo and also used to train animals for hollywood) that bears dislike it so much that all it takes is one good zap and the bear learns not the challenge the fence.
SO my advise to you would be put up a perimeter electric fence to keep the bear at bay and then build the secure runs inside that fence so your birds will still have access to the outside. ALSO another thing i have found that helps is having lights outside arround the enclosures usually predators do not like to be seen in the darkness.

Since my bear problem I am putting up an 8 foot fence around my enclosures ( i also will be able to let some of my birds free range inside the compound) and will run a few strands of electric fence on the outside with "security" lights all around as well.

Oh another note: Try to find the highest output of fence charger you can afford. The amount of "zap" depends on the "Joule" output. I searched and searched and finally found one that is a 6 joule output that supports 100 miles of fence however that is divided in half after each strand is added the 100 miles is for one strand of electric wire. Also try to get a low impedance one.
hope this helps!

 

[awarmrainyday]

With it doing that much damage it has become a nuisance. I think it that instance they can be shot, you'd have to check with the game commission. Otherwise electric fencing/wire all over your enclosure is about your only option.

My parents have a black bear that routinely visits their house and all the neighbors. They live at the base of the mountains. He tears down the bird feeders and empties them, UNSCREWS the hummingbird feeders and drinks the sugar water, and occasionally looks in the windows. He stood up and had his paws on the screen trying to see in their porch and my mom opened the door and yelled and he ran away. Other people have complained about him but the game commission says since he's not really hurting anything there's nothing to be done.

 

[Cindy in PA]

How do you know this was the same bear? This sounds terrible, but over what period of time did this all happen? Did the neighbors have trash or anything else around when it "ripped up" their deck? Seems funny this bear is such a nuisance, but it can't be trapped in two tries??? As far as the other commenter. If there are bears in the area take down the darn bird & hummingbird feeders. They are attracting the bears. I know Bradford County has lots of bears. It would seem that chicken coops would have to be fortified with hot wire at least. JMHO