Black bear got one of my birds

[bruinfan]

Woke up last night from my dog barking on my back deck. I grab a flashlight and there's a black bear looking back at me with one of my 10 wk old buffs in it's mouth. I yelled and threw a lacrosse ball at it (actually hit it). The S.O.B. just turned and walked away. The bear pulled the side door open on the A frame tractor and grabbed the bird. I nailed the side panel shut so the bear can't get back in. I ordered a 8 X 16 dog pen today that my birds will be relocated into on wednesday. I have several guns, but I live in a residential area and the sound of my .357 going off would sound like a cannon at 2am., and a .22 would only wound the bear at most. Nobody wants and injured angry bear roaming the neighborhood. My daughter said the bear was back at 10am but she scared the bear off by yelling and throwing something off the deck.
p.s. my forum name refers to my alma mater UCLA, not my love for bears!

 

[txcarl1258]

OMG that is awful. Glad we don't have bears in TX(or at least that I know of)!

 

[Debbi]

The bear will be back now that he's tasted chicken! Nailing the door won't do much to deter him, I'm afraid. Call your local Game Commission to see what your options are. Hot wire may deter him too!

 

[Dixiedoodle]

A bear will/can just climb into the 'dog run'. I agree, most predators will return once they find an easy meal.... High volt electric MIGHT deter it.. Do you have a secure building you can move the 'tractor' into at for a while? I am sorry for your loss..

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
How ironic. Sorry about your loss. That must be scary with it likely to come back. Definitely call your fish and game officials. Good luck.

 

[bruinfan]

The tractor is between my house and shed so the bear can only access it from one side. I placed garbage cans in front of the entrance so I (or dog) will be alerted when she returns. As for the dog run it is enclosed on top, and has anchors. I will probably install a hotwire also. I actually sprayed a bear 2 years ago with wasp spray from about 30 feet away. I still see that bear occasionally but he avoids my garbage barrels now!

 

[Lbrad7]

I have seen video of black bears peeling the top of car doors down like a banana. I doubt there is anything that you can do to keep him out now that he has found out how ease it is to get a quick meal from your tractor. First thing I would do is call your local wildlife agent. Since you live in a residential area, I'm sure they will trap it for you now that it has become a problem. Once it cleans your birds out it could start breaking into houses.

Next thing you might want to try is a very powerful electric fence. That could work....least I hope it does. I wouldnt want me daughter shooing bears away!

Good luck to you!!!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

the sound of my .357 going off would sound like a cannon at 2am., and a .22 would only wound the bear at most

Your 357 is only going to wound it too.

Get a GOOD electric fence and don't try to shoot the bear​

 

[TipsyDog]

I've got a big Mama with 4 cubs roaming around here. We have bears coming through all the time. The cub was sitting in the run a few weeks ago emptying the feeder, but my flock free ranges and cubs usually won't kill. I would NEVER shoot a bear to save a chicken, ever.

The only thing that will keep a bear out is an electric fence. They can tear apart any run or coop if they want to. The other choice is to call your game warden out and trap it, but he'll probably be back anyway. Good luck - I know how you feel!

 

[harleyjo]

txcar1258 said

Glad we don't have bears in TX(or at least that I know of)!

Sorry to say but somewhere in TX does have bears. I used to live in Fort Worth for about 6 years, left in 2005. I went to the zoo a lot while I lived there and one of the new areas in the zoo that was built before I left was Texas Wild. In this exhibit area of the zoo were all animals native to TX and yes they did have some bears. For some reason and it has been 5 years since I was there, I think it was in the Piney Woods and swamps of east TX.


ETA:http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/there_s_bears_in_them_thar_woods_11-30-2008.html​