Hey there BYC Friends!
OK, I've got an update...
The USDA Wildlife Services sent this great guy out to solve our problem. We now have a bear trap by the chicken coop. My whole property smells like cherries, licorice and beef jerky. He he! They use this super concentrate of the three plus cookies in the trap!
If YOU have a bear problem (or another critter break-in) I encourage you to call 1-866-487-3297 from a phone in your zip code (if you use a cell from another zip youll get the wrong office
I made this mistake and had to use my home phone).
They have been great so far AND
depending on WHO did the damage and WHERE you live
they will PAY YOU for the damage caused and/or provide you with free TOOLS and INFORMATION to solve your problem! Instead of taking matters into your our hands
try this, they are really great to deal with. Protecting our animals and property is their FULLTIME job
we pay for this service with tax $s. It is worth a try.
The way it works is that the smell lures them in
the cookies (the bears reward for entering) are in a bucket on a wire at the closed end of the trap
they pull on the bucket to get at the cookies
this makes the trap door fall. Simple enough.
We have to check it every morning and call ASAP when we catch one. If we happen to catch something else
like a skunk or coon or my dog, we just let it out and try again
I have included pictures of the trap.
the trap
the bears view going in
the closed end with treat bucket inside on a wire
In my area (Western Wisconsin/Minneapolis, MN metro), you CAN shoot anything on your property IF it is in the act of doing great harm or your under attack
you will, however, get in BIG trouble if you kill one that you just happen to see hanging out on your property. Your best bet is to call these guys and save Yogi. When you have a report on file about damage, you are in a much better position down the road for help, reimbursement, etc. They have five primary methods of catching the bear
if this doesnt work, they go onto the next
the last resort is that they shoot it for you. Much safer, easier and cheap
if you ask me, like I said, we already pay for it.
Electric fence is also a great deterrent if you have problems like we have, so we will do that too to prevent future break-ins.
I hope this information is of help to everyone. I will keep you updated
hopefully my next pictures will be of a bear in a trap. I really enjoy all of the info we have shared so far and Im interested in other bear attack/critter attack stories.
Wish me (and my chickens) luck