Unwelcome visitor caught on camera

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Edited to add: Hey everyone I really appreciate the advice and concerns. Please know that while I'm taking everyone's comments seriously, we've hiked and lived and gardened and raised chickens and bees and other animals (and kids) in black bear country for a long time. We run across and deal with bears often. This one is likely a young male that has been kicked out of the den and is looking for a territory of his own. We're gonna stay viligent and try to make sure he has no reason to stick around. Thanks again for your concerns!

Original post:
We knew a black bear has been hanging around the area. Finally busted him on our game cam peering into my coop. Now we know what we're up against. Glad he isn't bigger, but I hope he's not planning to return.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'd get some electric fence around that coop ASAP.

 

[Pigeony]

We knew a black bear has been hanging around the area. Finally busted him on our game cam peering into my coop. Now we know what we're up against. Glad he isn't bigger, but I hope he's not planning to return.

Eep. Best of luck deterring him, I can't imagine how much harder it is to keep your chickens secure in bear country.

 

[McChooky]

I'd advise you to put up an electric fence soon as possible because he's an inch away from knocking the door down and going in

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

I'd get some electric fence around that coop ASAP.

Yeah we'd like to. Gotta find the time. It's a very secure coop, but a bear is a different ballgame.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Or put up a solid door to close at night.

 

[McChooky]

We knew a black bear has been hanging around the area. Finally busted him on our game cam peering into my coop. Now we know what we're up against. Glad he isn't bigger, but I hope he's not planning to return.

It coming during the day instead of night is NOT a good sign.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Or put up a solid door to close at night.

I think that's what we're doing today until we can do more. Cover the hardware cloth and also add more bolt at top and bottom.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

It coming during the day instead of night is NOT a good sign.

It's 5am. My game cam makes it look light but it's not. Sunrise isn't until 6:30 right now.

 

[Zenmonkey]

but I hope he's not planning to return.

He's coming back. Just as soon as he's hungry enough to justify the incursion into human turf.

Hardware cloth won't slow him down. It's kind of like gift wrap to him.

A solid door will slow him down for a while. If you'll hear that and be able to intervene, you can stop him. Otherwise it just takes longer to get in.

An electric fence will likely dissuade him.

Confronting even a relatively smaller black bear isn't a completely safe thing to do. They will *usually* run, but it depends a little on how human habituated he is, and how hungry he is. Have a backup plan for in case he's persistent, and remember that while they're usually not in a hurry, they can move incredibly fast.