Bears!

[chasing ducks]

I am so frustrated with bears right now! I have all my duck feed in large heavy weight plastic barrels with clamped lids. Well my father left a bag of wild fowl food on my porch 2 nights ago and a bear came up on the porch, dragged the bag down and ripped it open. I assume ate his fill and left. The bag was under my children's window. I get up this morning to feed my ducks only to find that my smaller bin had the lid torn off and was in the middle of the yard, the feed all dumped on the ground. I just filled it yesterday with a 100 lbs. of feed. My larger bin was thrown into the woods because apparently the bear couldn't get the lid off. It has 200 lbs. of cracked corn mixed with layer pellets in. To get the food I need for my ducks I have to travel an hour both ways and 100 lbs. lasts about a month, I just made the trip yesterday, grrrr.... Anyway, I can't afford to keep feeding the bears and I don't want them near my children, however I am afraid that if I take away the feed they'll rip through the wire on my duck house and get my ducks. Wildlife regulations won't allow me to shoot the bears, and the only place I can hide the grain is in the open fronted wood shed near the wood boiler, which would be a bit pointless. Any suggestions?

 

[katharinad]

Get metal cans and hook them up to a fence charger. They will learn the hard way.
Katharina

 

[Bleenie]

You really can't shoot them??? I mean they're destroying your property and nearly coming into your house! Can't animal control or fish & game do anything?

I'd be freakin out if it was me, thankfully we only have coyotes that never come farther than the back field.

 

[L0rraine]

Guess I should be thankful for only having to deal with wiley coyotes. Course my daughter's gigantic Golden Retriever has devoured several days worth of feed when visiting -- he'll eat anything!

And yes, storing the food in the pen might not work either. My neighbor had what we assumed to be deer come through her chicken fencing and knock the lids off her feeders and devour a good portion of her food one night. We don't have bears on Whidbey Island (though there are the rare rumors . Anyway it sounds like quite the dilemma. Have you checked with the local wildlife folks to see what they might recommend? Guess they'd probably recommend building a steel shed or something (like any normal person could do that?

I'm NOOOO help ....

 

[SDChef]

You may not be able to shoot the bears. but that doesn't mean you can't shoot near the bears! a few loads wizzing by their heads will make them think twice about that quick meal. you may have to do this every couple months but they will soon figure it out!

 

[Bleenie]

There should be some kind of non-lethal bullet thing you can shoot them with..i know what its called just cant think of it now

like beanbags for humans, but for bears, lol

i hope you can figure something out soon.

 

[L0rraine]

Quote:
Yep, this is what our local wildlife person suggested we do to the coyotes (since we have a weak stomach for the real thing).

 

[SED]

I would electrify also. That way it is non lethal and the bears would definitely get the point!!

 

[katharinad]

I would be very careful with shooting at it. It may turn mad if you don't kill it right away and turn on you. They are faster and stronger that you are. Never underestimate a bear. Leave it to the pros to handle them. The electric fence is the best bet, it does not only protect against coyotes it will work on bears too. It gives some piece of mind and does not cost the world.
Katharina

 

[SDChef]

Quote:
My thought was not to shoot it at all. I hunt and I will tell you that a gun going off is enough to make ANYTHING run. you are correct when saying a wounded animal can attack but you would have to be a REALLY, REALLY bad shot to hit something you are trying to miss. and due to differences on hunting and the fact that this is a poultry forum I will not comment on your last statement.