Our Friendly Bear pays us a visit

[WindyOaksYokes]

I have a question... why does pee not discourage bears? We have a bear that has been hanging around for years... it is friends with our momma boxer "Lady"... they have known each other forever, since they were very small... Anyways, momma bear is always coming to visit and will occasionally bring a baby along for the dogs to meet... she never harms any of us... but now that I have chickens I am scared to death... we saw where she came for a visit and left markings as close to the coop as about 5 feet... but she did not bother the chickens at all... we were surprised... Not to mention... the chickens didnt even scream or anything. Don't bears eat chickens??? I really don't want to do anything to her since she has done nothing wrong and she just comes up to play with "lady" and the other dogs... in-fact when she does come around... the dogs never bark, growl, or anything because she is a "friend". When we come up against her in the woods... she grunts and snorts to let us know she is there... I guess it is her way of saying... "hi, just wanted to let you know I’m here"and she goes on about her business... Needless to say, there is now easy access to riffles and bullets for the parents, and DH has been taking me out and teaching me how to shoot his "BIG" guns incase I am here alone and something happens. And for the most part... I would have to say that she keeps all other predators at bay... is that possible? or is it the dogs? I'm currious to know if anyone else out there has a similar situation since I know alot of you seem to live in the mountains and wood like we do.
Tes

 

[speckledhen]

Tes, I know there are bears in my neighborhood, but they've never bothered the chickens. Yes, they do eat chickens-several people have had their coops torn into. You bear seems to be getting WAY too comfy around humans, so I would do anything I could to discourage her. Scary! Be careful, okay? I love bears but not a few feet away from me and my chickens.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Cynthia,
Yes, I am very careful... and to be honest, I fear the day I have to write on here that the bear tore open the coop!!! If I am alone going through the woods, I usually take a rifle with me... the older kids do too. We have even had problems with a BIG CAT (a few years ago)... and well lady killed her, found her den and took care of the little ones too. We have everything out here... needless to say.
Yes, I promise to be careful... and yah she is a little bit to comfy with humans... but she has never shown any type of aggression towards any of us humans or animals so DH just lets her be... BUT, he did say that if ever she attacks the chickens or other animals... he will be the first one out the door with shotgun in hand. It used to scare me in the begining... but somehow, I guess I just got used to it and never thought about it until the other day with how close she was to the chickens. I think we still have a picture around here somewhere with the Bear and lady walking down our hill... I will see if I can find it... She was smaller back then (about 5 years ago). I wonder how long they live anyways... she must be pushing at least 9 to 10 years... whats that in bear life?? LOL. The interesting thing though is that the cubs always seem to leave the "farm" after about a year or two. hmmm interesting. Oh and as for the kids, no one is allowed to go out in the woods alone... We even started having the older boys carrying guns (they have been around guns and hunting for years, been taught very well, DH is an x-special forces) when they go feed the other animals that are out of range (pigs smell lol). Anyways, thanks for the answer Cyn... I thought they did, but was not sure...
Tes

 

[rooster-red]

We've had a black bear coming onto our property for a few years now to eat blackberries that line the edge of our garden, never bothered the chickens or cats or even the trashcans... just came to eat berries and sometimes sleep, you could tell where it slept.

I didn't see any signs of it at all this year, in a way I kind of miss it.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

rooster-red... well then that explains it better why she started coming here in the first place... our farm is surrounded with berries! From blue berries, to black berries, to every other type berry you can imagine. I went out last month on a berry hunt... two hours later I came home with a five gallon bucket quite full... I think that tells you just how many berries we have... and boy did I make the BEST black berry cobbler... YUMMMMMM... Well I am glad to know that our bear is not the only one out there that is at this point leaving the animals alone. This is the first time she has come up this close so far this summer... so you might just see yours soon too. What is surprising... she is even leaving the ducks alone... they are down near the pigs in the creek. I have lost one duck a couple months ago (not sure to what)... but the others are doing just "ducky".

 

[panner123]

Bears DO eat chickens, I have lost many chickens to bears. Already this year I have lost six to them. Not
every bear that crosses the property has headed for the coop, those that do have a problem with the federal trapper as well as with me. I have had to kill one this year already and one that has been testing the electric fence almost daily. Once one desides that want a chicken dinner there is NO stopping him/her. If your freindly bear gets hungry enough, It will have your dog for lunch. A few years ago there was a big male that killed a neighbor's horse. This bear was wounded by a poor shot but was able to pin a small mare between the fence and the barn. The state of Ca. allows anyone to kill any animal that is threating a preson or livestock. I don't kill or trap every bear, mountian lion or bobcat that comes on the proprety. There are many on my property. I live in the Sierra foothills in a cayon above the American River. We had very few problems with the wild life until the city people started to invade the area.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Panner, thanks for the input. I know where you are exactly being from cali myself. I can understand how you feel about "city" people! We live out in the country, and they are starting to build up all around us... not to mention they put in a new bypass. It used to be so quiet here.. and now we always here the cars and trucks... it stinks.
As for our bear... Yes, we are still very careful eventhough she is so friendly, that is one animal I would never turn my back on. In the past 7 years (that I have been coming up and living here) She has yet to hurt anything and we have horses, dogs, bunnies, chickens, pigs... Like I said, she is very friendly with the dogs and they will walk off together and play... Still looking for that dang picture.
I was just currious about whether or not they did eat chickens, cause so far so good... but I think that electric fence idea that we had and you said is in order.
Thanks again
Tes

 

[panner123]

Met a neighbor while picking up the mail this afternoon. She said, "she had a bear after her little puppy last night, but her husband scared it off." She is now afraid it will come in the house after her dogs or her family. They don't have any guns so I loaned him my 12 gauge with triple OOO buckshot. I told him if he wanted to make a sure kill, he would need to be within 20 yards of it. And not to shoot unless he was sure of killing it. This must be going to be a hard winter or we are getting over run b bears this year. It is getting so crowded around here I can see 8 houses after the leaves come off. Well the lights anyway.

 

[tiffanyh]

Could you do something like an electric fence around the coop?
Just a thought....

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Yes, I can put up an elec fence and we have thought about it even purchased everything we needed to do it. But with the dogs chasing everything off we didnt seem to worried... but now... yes, more than likely the fence will be put up this week. She just got a little to close for my taste... but has not been back since that night... or if she has, we have not seen any markings or tracks.
Tes