p. 53

Items capture the interest of bears for a single reason: they represent a source of food, a reward. Food can completely change their behavior, causing them to become more aggressive and bold.

p. 54

The number of conflicts varies from year to year according to the quality and quantity of natural foods.

pp 54-56

Potential bear attractants include:

Animals (roadkill), aviaries (birds), barbecue grills and accessories, bear foods (natural), beehives, berries, beverages, bird feeders and bird feed, candles, candy and gum, charcoal starter (liquid), garbage cans, chemicals (stored and spilled), children, children’s activities, children’s play equipment, cigarettes, compost, cosmetics, deodorant, dogs, farm crops, fish, fish ponds, flowers, foods, food freezers, food lockers, food odors, food crumbs and scraps, fruits, game meat, garbage, grain, gunshots, gut piles, household utensils, ice chests, insect repellent, lawn furniture, lawns, livestock (large and small), livestock carcasses, livestock foods, meat smokers, medicines, mineral licks (natural), nuts (crops), oil filters, paints, patio furniture, petroleum products, pets, pet foods, stills (moonshine, mash), plastics (toys, furniture, etc.), recyclables, refrigerators, salt blocks, sewage, spills (foods, chemicals), swimming pools, toothpaste, trash, vegetables, wildlife carcasses, wildlife food caches.

p. 56

Black bears have been known to gain entry to a house by opening a door, pressing the latch, or using both paws to turn the doorknob.

Surprising a bear is an immediate and common cause of conflict, though it is usually preventable…. People who move silently through bear country, without providing any warning run the risk of surprising a bear.

p. 58

A mother with cubs is typically the most dangerous bear…. Nothing prompts a full-blown charge by a mother bear more quickly than the bawl and commotion of a cub. And nothing prompts a loud bawl from a cub more quickly than the presence of a person.

p. 59

Predation on humans is extremely rare, but there are documented incidents of bears, mostly black bears, preying on people.

p. 61

Factors that predispose towards a bear attack:

People surprise bears. People enter into bears’ critical (personal) space. People pose a threat to sows and their cubs. People pose a threat to food sources that bears are guarding. People are preyed upon by bears (rare).

p. 83

[On Preventing Bears From Entering Your Abode:] Usually, bears break into houses when they are unoccupied or there is no activity in the building. Keep windows and doors closed when bears may be in the area, especially at night. A secure house is your primary solution, but attractive odors must also be minimized. Occupancy is a major deterrent for most bears. If the residence will be vacant for periods of time, use heavily constructed, snug-fitting shutters on the windows and doors. A bear-resistant fence (chain-link or electric) surrounding your residence will keep most bears away from the house, as well as solve porch, patio and yard problems. Taped sounds, such as voices, dogs barking, gunshots, and explosions will deter bears. Dogs confined in the yard or tethered near the house are an excellent system to warn of a bear’s presence, and will cause some bears to leave the area.

pp 84-86

[On Food Storage:] Keep foods in tightly sealed containers and stored in closed cupboards and drawers. Keep floors, shelves, cabinets, appliances, and counters clean of food particles and spillage…. Keep your windows and doors closed during food preparation and clean up immediately afterwards.

[On Garbage:] You should not burn your garbage and trash. This is not a solution. The ‘burn barrel’ and trash burner become major bear attractants. A household normally has a larger quantity of wet garbage than dry trash, and the ratio between the two does not permit complete incineration and the removal of odors. Use incineration for the disposal of garbage only if you have a commercial type, gas-fired incinerator that totally incinerates wet garbage…. Keep any fish or meat remains for disposal in your freezer…. Use sturdy plastic bags with ties for all garbage and trash- wet and dry. Do not place the garbage outside the back door, even temporarily. Store all garbage that is inside your residence in cans with airtight lids. Use plastic bags to line the garbage cans. Rinse bottles and cans before disposal…. Clean all trash cans and storage areas regularly with hot water and bleach, ammonia, or lime to minimize residual odors.

pp 89-91

[To Protect Patios, Porches and Yards:] A simple solution for these areas is to have a fence around the yard. Chain-link and other wire fences, at least eight feet high and buried two feet in the ground are expensive, but effective. An electric fence is inexpensive and effective, but is only bear-resistant. Keep your yard well lighted at night…. Keep the areas around your residence and yard open, clear of dense vegetation, and free of natural bear foods…. Minimize food scraps on the ground and prevent spilled beverages.

[Recommendations for Using Outdoor Grills:] Use a propane or gas grill, and store inside your garage or another secure building. Ceramic or stone briquettes should be burned off frequently to clean them…. Clean your barbecue regularly and thoroughly, preferably after each use. While using the grill, locate it in an open area on the active side of the residence, and away from cover where bears might secretly approach.

p. 93

[Recommendations for Bird-Feeders:] Bird foods- especially sunflower seeds, suet, peanut butter, and the liquid food mixtures for hummingbirds- are bear attractants…. Suet is also quite odorous, particularly during warm weather. Consider not feeding birds if you live in bear country, especially when natural bear foods are in short supply. If you do have feeders, locate them in areas where a bear would have to cross open space. Hang the feeders high- at least ten feet above ground- on a wire between trees, where they can be raised and lowered by a pulley system. Use seed trays or spill pans to prevent accumulation of seed on the ground. A simple electric fence around the feeder area or trees has been quite successful in deterring bears…. Feed suet only in the winter, when bears hibernate…. Another measure to outwit bears is to feed birds only during the hibernation period, which is December 1 through March 31 in most areas.

pp 95-96

[On Pools and Hot Tubs:] Any foods, drinks, garbage and pool-cleaning chemicals left at a pool or hot tub will attract bears. Hot-tub covers- vinyl and foam materials- have attracted bears. Sometimes, bears are attracted to a pool as a body of water where they may drink, soak, cool off, or just swim and play.

[On Children’s Play Areas:] Have play areas in the open, close to the house. Keep your children in sight and be able to reach them quickly. Teach and remind them about bears and the precautions necessary when living in bear country…. Keep foods out of the play areas. Have children in the house before dusk, and inside until after dawn, unless they are very closely supervised…. Teach [children] not to run around buildings or along trails, or to make animal sounds.

p. 98

[On Pets:] Store all pet foods in the house, garage, or other bear-resistant structures. If you must feed pets outside, do so during daylight hours, bring the bowls inside immediately after feeding, and clean up any spills and scraps. Enjoy small animals as indoor pets.

pp. 99-101

[On Gardens:] Vegetable gardening in occupied bear habitat is not the best idea, but it can be accomplished with a few precautions. Consider crops that will not attract bears; consult with your local wildlife management agency or agricultural extension service for guidance. Plant gardens in open areas, away from shrubs, brush and forested areas, and enclose them with electric fences. Try a scarecrow, but change its location frequently… harvest your product as soon as it is ripe…. It is best not to plant berries in bear country. But if you do enjoy having a berry patch, use an electric fence to deter bears. Pick berries promptly as they ripen, and keep the patch clean, without berries rotting on the ground.

[On Composting:] If you compost, consider a community effort by which many families are served and the process is conducted in a secure building, with minimal escape of odors, or in an area surrounded by an electric fence. Do not place meats, sweets, melon rinds, or fruits in your compost piles or containers. If your compost requirements are minimal, a small bucket in a secure area, such as your basement or under the kitchen sink, might serve your needs.

[On Greenhouses:] The most practical measure is to use an electric fence around a greenhouse, and then take all the precautions you would for an outdoor garden. Have the greenhouse in the open, away from dense vegetation that provides cover for bears.

p. 103

[On Protecting Livestock from Bears:] Preferably, you should not have pigs, goats, and sheep. Keep your caged animals and smaller livestock in a barn or other secure building at night, and keep larger animals in at night if a bear is in the area. Store tack in bear-resistant buildings, and handle garbage and trash the same as at your residence. Use electric fences around small fields, pastures, corrals, pens, and cages, and keep the areas well lighted at night. Store all livestock foods in a bear-resistant building or container…. Use feeders that minimize spillage, and feed only the amount the animals will eat to prevent leftovers. Do not dispose of a carcass, regardless of size, on your property or in the area. Haul all carcasses to an approved landfill, or have them collected by a rendering plant, immediately.

pp 106-108

[On Bears and Field Crops:] Consider planting crops that will not attract bears. Otherwise, leave unplanted, mowed, open lanes between crops and forests and other dense vegetation. Alternate crop rows to lessen cover for a bear, and plow under or otherwise clean up excess crops…. Harvest crops as quickly as possible, and dispose of the culls at sanitary landfills or bury them immediately in an isolated ranch dump. Use electric fences where feasible…. Store fertilizers in bear-resistant buildings or containers.

[On Fruit and Nut Orchards:] Electric fences have been quite successful in protecting many orchards. Bu t the attractant remains. Prompt removal of fallen fruits prevents the even more aromatic attraction of fruits rotting on the ground.

pp 109-110

[On Livestock:] Some ranchers forego small livestock altogether. If you do keep food and small animals, use intensive herding- avoid pasturing animals in isolated areas, near heavy cover and streams, or where bear travel corridors exist, and more livestock into protected areas if a bear is in the area. Contain animals near or in barns and stables at night, and have the areas well lighted. Electric fences for small pastures, pens, corrals, feed bins, sick pens, and calving areas are highly effective. Trained guard dogs for cattle are used by some ranchers. Birthing of animals should occur at the barn or other protected building. If field birthing is necessary, remove afterbirth, which quickly attracts bears, coyotes, and foxes. Immediately remove all livestock carcasses from pastures and fields…. Feed in open areas if possible, but close to the ranch buildings. Use timed and controlled feeding mechanisms that hang well above the ground, minimize spillage, and deliver feed at a rate that avoids creating leftovers available to bears. Feeding bins should not be scattered, and there should be specific feeding sites where any spillage is confined to small areas.

p. 113

[On Water Troughs, Ponds, and Salt licks:] There should be no serious bear conflicts if troughs, ponds, and sources of salt are well away from any buildings, corrals, or feeding areas. Monitor for bear sign and move livestock if threat exists. Provide protective covers for water-trough floats and valves. Share the salt with the bears- the attractant is very short-term, and it is unlikely too many blocks will be stolen.

p. 114

[On Apiaries:] Electric fences are the most successful means of protecting beehives…. In addition to using electric fences, group your hives or apiaries, consolidating them into the smallest area that can be practically managed, and maintain clear, mowed corridors around them. Place your hives as far from dense vegetation as possible, and away from streams…. Harvest the honey as soon as possible to lessen the period of attraction.

p. 117

[On RV’s:] Keep the doors, windows, and vents closed, and keep the interior extremely clean. If you must park it outside for more than a few days, or if a bear is frequenting the area, remove foods and other attractants, and tether a dog nearby. Better yet, use a simple electric fence, and maybe a dog as well. Keep your parking areas well lighted.

p. 120

[On Vehicles:] When a vehicle is not in use, keep it free of all foods and other attractants, including food containers and wrappers, medicines, gum, pet foods, groceries, and snacks. Maintain a clean vehicle, promptly cleaning up any spills. Park vehicles indoors if possible, but always keep windows and doors tightly closed.

p. 124

[On Schools:] Snacks and other foods should be confined to indoors. Cafeteria sanitation and appropriate handling of food and garbage is highly important in preventing the attraction of bears. Always supervise small children when they are outside. If a bear is in the area, bring them inside immediately.

pp 126-127

[On Dumps and Sewage-Disposal Plants:] The facilities should be fenced. Garbage in landfills must be promptly buried- daily if at all possible. If bears are attracted to the area, and remain even without rewards, your wildlife-management agency should consider aversive conditioning or other measures to remove the bears.

[On Public Parks and Campgrounds:] Parks and campgrounds must have bear-resistant garbage cans or dumpsters, appropriate garbage pickup, firepit cleanup, and good general maintenance. Good information for visitors about camping and picnicking in bear country is essential.

p. 130

[On Denning:] Be aware of any potential denning sites at or near your home, ranch, or farm. Close any opening that might be used as a den. If bears are in your area in the late fall and early winter, have your local wildlife-management agency discourage any denning that will conflict with your normal winter and spring activities.

RESOLVING CONFLICTS:

pp 137-138

[Have a Plan. Questions to consider include:] How will I know a bear is on my property? How will I react? How will I scare away a bear? What will I use to repel a bear? Are my deterrent systems in place? Are noisemakers available? Is bear spray available? How will I get into and out of my house, if necessary, if a bear is in the area? Where are the secure locations on my property? How will I protect children and others? Do family members know how to react to a bear’s presence? How will I control and protect my dogs and other pets? How will I protect my livestock? Are [relevant] telephone numbers readily available?

pp 140-141

[Deterring and chasing away bears:] Keep in mind: many methods that deter and chase black bears are not successful with brown bears…. Bears may be chased away by a person shouting (not screaming, which may incite a bear to attack) and throwing rocks and other objects. Bears are normally shy of horses, and chasing them on horseback is often successful. They are sometimes chased by vehicles (with horn blaring)…. Nearly all dogs, trained or untrained, tethered or contained in a yard or house, will bark or growl at the sight and scent of a bear. Confined or tethered dogs may chase away a bear simply by barking. Dogs trained to chase, and under control, will expel most black bears from the area. However, brown bears are often not as inclined to run…. Small, yappy dogs appear to aggravate bears, causing aggression.

pp 143-144

Fences are highly effective deterrents, if bears are not completely conditioned to a food source before the fence is erected.

After good sanitation, proper handling of all foods and garbage, the single most practical and effective deterrent of bears is an electric fence.

p. 146

Sound is a commonly used means of deterring and chasing bears. Success depends on an individual bear’s previous experience with such deterrents. Bears learn quickly and become familiar with sounds, especially if they are repetitious. Use a variety of sounds and randomly alternate their source.

pp 150-151

Bears will generally avoid well-lighted areas around your residence,

[Pepper spray] has been quite successful in turning away a charging bear.

p. 152

Lime masks odors that attract bears and is placed in garbage cans and outhouses. It has more long-term value than ammonia.

p. 158

[On Bears in Your Yard:] When you observe a black bear on your property or in your yard, do not panic, but make your presence known. Stand upright and be "big." Most bears will normally leave when in the presence of people. If it does not depart on its own, shout at the bear and make loud noises by banging pots or other metal objects. Attempt to chase it off as you would a stray dog entering your yard. Do not run directly up to a bear, and be certain it has an escape route. If this does not work, retreat into a secure building and leave the bear alone…. If the intruder is a brown bear, remain in a secure location and use cautious attempts- shouting, banging pans- to frighten it away. Brown bears are not normally deterred as easily as black bears.

p. 159

[Surprise Encounters: If the bear does not flee upon initial contact], begin talking to the bear (say anything, just talk) in a soft voice- calm, assuring, but assertive- so as not to threaten the bear. Slowly back away, avoiding direct eye contact, which may be perceived by the bear as a threat. Always leave the bear an escape route. You should at this moment be seeking a secure and safe location.

Bear Aggression: Various Scenarios and Appropriate Responses

pp 160-161

A Bear Observed at a Distance and not Aware of You- You Should:

-Not make abrupt moves or noises that would startle it and alert it to your presence.

-Slowly move to a secure building or vehicle.

-Attempt to observe the bear’s action and observe where it travels.

A Distant Bear that is Aware of You- If the Bear flees, you should:

Remain calm. Ready your canister of bear spray. Not approach or pursue the bear. Not run. Shout and make noises as it flees. Move to a secure area. Watch where the bear proceeds as it flees.

If the bear stays put, it might stand on its hind legs to better identify you…. If a bear acts this way, you should:

Remain calm. Ready your canister of bear spray. Not approach the bear. Not run. Call other people to join you if they are nearby; several individuals appear more formidable and better deter a bear. Allow the bear to determine what you are by waving your arms and talking to it in a normal, firm, monotone voice. Not make noises or abrupt movements that could startle or threaten the bear and provoke an attack. Walk to a secure building or vehicle.

If the bear runs toward you, it may only be approaching for better identification. In this case, you should:

Remain calm. Ready your canister of bear spray. Not run, but back away, diagonally if possible: a diagonal retreat provides a stronger impression of retreat, lessening the threat. Immediately move to a secure building or vehicle, if one is close. Remember that a bear running 30 mph covers 44 feet per second. Do not make abrupt movements or loud noises that might threaten the bear and provoke an attack. Allow the bear to determine what you are by waving your arms and talking to it in a normal, firm, monotone voice. Drop an item of diversion, but not food, as you back away. Continue to seek safety in a building or vehicle.

p. 162

[If a bear looks] toward you, its head turning from side to side as it tries to identify you, [you should]:

Remain calm. Do not panic; quick movements may also cause the bear to panic. Have your canister of bear spray ready. Not run. Not make abrupt movements or loud noises that might threaten the bear and provoke an attack. Talk to the bear in a normal, firm, monotone voice. Back away, diagonally if possible. Stop moving away if doing so appears to agitate the bear- if it clacks its teeth or jaws and/or makes moaning, woofing, or barking sounds. Retreat to safety if you are standing next to the door of a secure building or vehicle.

pp. 163-164

If the bear approaches on all four legs, this is an aggressive approach. The bear may swing its head from side to side in a display of nervousness and agitation. If it presents a side view of its body as if ignoring you, the bear is expressing dominance, but is reluctant to charge- though it may still do so- and is seeking a way out of the situation. A bear that looks directly at you with its ears back is expressing a warning that it feels crowded and threatened. It may further emphasize its distress with barking, woofing, or moaning sounds. If the bear clacks its jaws and teeth together, gives a series of woofs, or both, it is highly agitated and quite likely to charge. In this situation, you should:

-Not run. Stay calm- it is not easy, but very necessary.

-Have had your canister of bear spray ready long ago.

-Avoid direct eye contact with the bear.

-Talk to the bear in a normal, firm, monotone voice.

-Not imitate a bear’s sounds, actions, or motions.

-Not turn your back on the bear.

-Back away. Give the bear space and an escape route. Attempt to reduce the bear’s feeling of being crowded, even though it approached you. Retreat to safety.

-Stop moving away if doing so agitates the bear. Begin backing away again when the agitation ceases.

-If the animal is a black bear without cubs, attempt to chase it off with mild aggression- yell, shout (do not scream), blow a whistle, throw rocks or sticks, or bang metal objects together. Do not be timid. Do not respond this way if it is a brown bear or any sow with cubs.

p. 165

If the bear charges you, it might mean to attack, or it might be bluffing. It may veer off, run by you, or stop: this is an attempt to scare you away. The bear might leave after several bluff charges. But while there may be no contact with you at this moment, there is a fine line between a bluff charge and an actual attack. If you have bear spray- and it should have been ready for use long ago- you should:

Remain Calm. Do not run.

Use the bear spray. If others with you have spray, they too should spray the bear- the more the better.

Slowly retreat to a secure location.

If you do not have bear spray, if it does not affect the bear, or if the canister malfunctions, you should:

Remain calm. Do not run.

Attempt to reduce the bear’s feeling of being threatened (even though you may have already hit it in the face with pepper spray) by not making aggressive movements or sounds.

Avoid direct eye contact with the bear.

Not yell, shout, or scream, but continue talking in a normal, firm, monotone voice.

Not kick, strike, or lash out at the bear.

Throw an object on the ground as a diversion, including an empty pepper spray can, and back away from it.

Back away and retreat to safety if the bear makes a bluff charge.

pp 166-167

[The Bear Attack:]

When you believe a bear is going to make contact with you, spray it in the face. Don’t just give it a single burst of fog- empty the canister. Hit the bear in the face as it approaches, based on the range of your canister. Ideally, the bear will back off and you can retreat to security. But if the bear makes physical contact with you, continue spraying it in the face if at all possible. If you do not have bear spray, or if it did not repel the bear, your actions should be based on the species of bear.

If the aggressor is a black bear, fight back. Be aggressive and defend yourself with everything available. Appear dominant and try to frighten the bear. Fight with your feet, fists, sticks, noise, rocks, shovels, laundry baskets- whatever weapons are available. Strike, kick, gouge, bite- you are fighting for your life. [call for the help of others].

If the attacking bear is a brown bear, including a grizzly bear, play dead. Fall to the ground as the bear actually touches you, but not until then. Either lie flat on your stomach, or, as some bear biologists and managers recommend, drop to the ground with your legs up underneath your chest, and bend forward so your forehead touches your kneecaps, assuming the cannonball or fetal position. Once on the ground, try to remember the following measures:

-Keep your arms bent forward alongside and around your head to protect your face and head.

-Clasp your hands, interlocking the fingers over the back of your neck

-Do not struggle, fight, or attempt to restrain the bear- remain motionless.

-Do not cry out or make any noise- remain silent.

-If the bear swats or paws you, turning you over, roll back onto your stomach, keeping your hands and arms clasped around your head at all times.

-Remain motionless and silent for at least twenty minutes (though that may not be enough) to allow the bear time to leave.

-If an attack is renewed, play dead again.

If an attack persists- if you believe the bear is not going to leave you or it is preying upon you- you should:

-Attempt to get away.

-Shout for help.

-Fight for your life in the same way as if the aggressor were a black bear.

-Be aggressive and defend yourself with everything available.