Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Spring is the time when black bears come visit backyards looking for food.
As spring has sprung, state Game Commission officials remind residents that wildlife will become more visible, including Pennsylvania’s roughly 18,000 black bears, all of which will be looking for food.
“If bears find food in backyards, they quickly learn to associate food with residential areas and begin to spend more time in those areas,” Mark Ternent, a Game Commission black bear biologist, said in a press release.
Anything edible placed outside, whether food for wildlife, unsecured garbage or even pets, gives bears a reason to visit your property. If denied easy access to food, bears generally move on, Ternent said.
Avoid creating bear magnets
To prevent attracting bears to a property, Ternent suggests:
• Do not feed wildlife. Corn for squirrels and even bird feeders can become “bear magnets.” Those who choose to feed songbirds during the summer should avoid foods that bears love, such as sunflower seeds, hummingbird nectar mixes or suet. Bring feeders inside at night or suspend them from crosswires so they are at least 10 feet above the ground and four feet from anything a bear can climb.
• Don’t put out garbage until pick-up day; don’t throw table scraps out back; don’t add fruit or vegetable waste to your compost pile; and clean your barbecue grill regularly. If you feed your pets outdoors, bring their food dishes inside overnight. Encourage neighbors to do the same.
• Work with neighbors to ask area businesses to keep dumpsters closed and locked.
Handling bear encounters
Even following Ternent’s advice, folks still might find a bear on their property. He advises:
• If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm. Shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog. Don’t approach it. If the bear won’t leave, call the nearest Game Commission regional office or local police department.
• If your dog is barking or cat is clawing at the door to get in, try to cautiously determine what alarmed your pet using outside lights and from a safe position.
• If you see a bear and it hasn’t seen you, leave the area calmly. Talk or make noise while moving away to help it discover your presence. Choose a route that will not intersect with the bear if it is moving.
• If you surprised a bear, slowly back away while talking softly. Face the bear, but avoid direct eye contact. Do not turn and run. Avoid blocking the bear’s only escape route and try to move away from any nearby cubs. Do not climb a tree, as a female bear may falsely interpret this as an attempt to get at her cubs.
• Some bears may bluff charge to within a few feet. If this occurs, stand your ground, wave your arms wildly and shout at the bear. • If a bear attacks, fight back as you continue to leave the area. Black bears have been driven away with rocks, sticks, binoculars, car keys or even bare hands.
Ternent said bear cubs spotted alone are not necessarily abandoned; the mother could be looking for food and returning soon.
To report nuisance bears in Luzerne County, contact the Game Commission Northeast Region Office in Dallas at 675-1143.
Learn more
More information on bears is available on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website www.pgc.state.pa.us. Place your cursor on “HUNT/TRAP” in the menu bar at the top of the page, click on “Hunting” in the drop-down menu and click on “Black Bears” in the “Big Game” section.