Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I was raised camping. I've been raising my kids in the semi-rural mountain woods for 11 years. I *love* the outdoors. But I have had it up to *here* with bears this year!!! We're no strangers to the occasional midnight garbage raid. Once every year or two, we would get to witness cubs traveling through with their mama. A few years back, we got to watch a bear lick out a peanut butter jar from our recycling bin. It was always around dusk or later. It was exciting! Now we have bears (or possibly A bear...we haven't checked ID) coming by every couple of days, at random times during the day. Not even trying to get into our trash, just waltzing through the property. We've practiced what to do if you see a bear ever since we moved here because the kids usually do play outside (together, but without a parent.) But my morning coffee got interrupted by a close encounter this morning, and all that "back up slowly" crap went right out my ears. Now there's no way I can trust that my little kids could remain calmer than me! There does seem to be a big uptick in vacationers this year, so that may very well have something to do with it. If everyone could please stay home so I might be able to enjoy my coffee in peace, that would be great! :tongue_smilie: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I hear ya. You need to petition your campsite to get bear lockers and bear-safe garbage cans. Or at the very least teach all the campers how to bag and hoist their stuff into the trees. The more food available, the more they'll come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Oh how horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 I hear ya. You need to petition your campsite to get bear lockers and bear-safe garbage cans. Or at the very least teach all the campers how to bag and hoist their stuff into the trees. The more food available, the more they'll come back. No, this is my house. Where I live! They're not bothering my garbage, just my nerves! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 No, this is my house. Where I live! They're not bothering my garbage, just my nerves! Oh, my goodness! I totally misunderstood! How scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Can you put up a fence around at least some of the property? Would a dog be a deterrent or a complication? I once watched a mama cat with kittens to protect tree a bear and then guard the foot of the tree for hours while the bear huddled up there in fear. He didn't come down until the cat finally left. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 That would make me really nervous. I think I would have bear spray on me every time I went outdoors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Can you put up a fence around at least some of the property? Would a dog be a deterrent or a complication? I once watched a mama cat with kittens to protect tree a bear and then guard the foot of the tree for hours while the bear huddled up there in fear. He didn't come down until the cat finally left. The property isn't really conducive to that, all woody and rocky and over an acre. We've explored some fencing options for other purposes, but we're limited to 4', which isn't much for these guys, though I suppose it might guide their route a little better! Our big dogs died, so I don't know if maybe they kept the visits to a minimum in the past. Lots of the properties around us have dogs though. My little rat dog doesn't even deter loose cats, lol. Dh once treed 5 cubs by driving his car up our tiny lawn, while mama stood there, daring him to get out. (Fortunately, the recent activities haven't included cubs.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 We have a new saying in our family since moving into a national park: "Nature... it wants to kill you." (LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Black or brown? I hate bears. My very first camping experience was in North Dakota, which is about as far from my normal as you could get. A couple of guys, very seasoned campers, came by to share coffee with us and one casually mentioned "Hey I heard there are three grizzlies headed this way, hope they don't go through the campground". I did not sleep a wink in my cheap little tent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Black or brown? I hate bears. My very first camping experience was in North Dakota, which is about as far from my normal as you could get. A couple of guys, very seasoned campers, came by to share coffee with us and one casually mentioned "Hey I heard there are three grizzlies headed this way, hope they don't go through the campground". I did not sleep a wink in my cheap little tent. Oh, black! If we had grizzlies... well, I wouldn't have grizzlies b/c I'd die of fright and that would be the end of that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 lock your car doors if you park outside. a few days ago, i saw a report of a woman who was informed by her mother that a bear was in her car. she thought she misunderstood her. nope. somehow the bear got inside and closed the door behind it. animal control ended up standing back while one opened the hatch -and someone else stood by with a shotgun just in case. the bear was just happy to be out and took off. but her car was trashed. our next door neighbors did have a brown bear go through their backyard - and we're in 'the middle of a large populated area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Fences are useless as a bear deterrent - unless they're 20 feet high, maybe.... I watched a bear fly over a 6 foot chain link fence at my house as if it wasn't there.... Sorry, OP - sounds like No Fun! Anne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Last summer a bear broke our wooden fence gate - twice! We have wire fence in the back and wooden privacy fence in the front. He apparently came in through the back and then couldn't figure out how to get out the front and so just broke it down. Yes lock your cars, they will get in, they got in ours twice a couple of summers ago. If they get stuck they will tear the car apart. Luckily that didn't happen with ours. Black bears are scared of people typically. If you see one on your property, find something loud and noisy and scare it off. Don't just look and take pictures. Everytime it comes, make noise and scare it off, send the message that it is not welcome. In the past we have used an air horn, or even just a metal can of coins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Ah, such fond memories of checking under the steps for polar bears... Not so much! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Morning coffee and bear encounters just don't go together!!! How frightening! And what a bummer for your kids (and you), no way to have peace of mind and let them play outside alone. How frightening! I'm sorry :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) I am not recommending this necessarily but I do know some park rangers shoot the bears that come near people with paintball guns (though they use some sort of other pellet that doesn't mark them, just stings them). The idea is that if every encounter with people is negative, they are even more likely to avoid people. I don't know if that would just tick them off though. I found this site that might be helpful. http://www.bearsmart.com/managing-bears/non-lethal/tools/ Edited to add, that yes, no matter what steps I took to try and deal with the bears, I'd be worried about my kids, too. Sorry. Edited July 17, 2016 by livetoread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanalouwho Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I don't have bear problems here, but all that nature is keeping me firmly indoors anyway. A few days ago, I went to get something from my car and almost got attacked by a 5 ft. rattlesnake. Sorry, kids, but we're not leaving the house again for a month. Sent from my HTCD200LVW using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Well you definitely put my bobcat problem into perspective!! I think I will take them over bears any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Black bears really don't like people. If your kids are loud when they play, that is the best deterrent. If not, would they agree to bells on their outside shoes or some other noise maker that warns the bears. As an extra measure you could also have them carry whistles, both to scare any bear they come across and to alert adults that there is an issue (bear or anything else). I live in a city neighborhood and we even get bears from time to time. The city is small and surrounded by mostly-empty woods so they come in looking for garbage and other goodies. They bolt as soon as they see us. But even when we lived in the country, we saw them so frequently that we got used to them, but we never saw them when making noise. I swear raccoons can be more dangerous as they do not seem to have any fear of humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 When we were driving from CT back to NY after camping (through Mass at that point I believe) we saw a huge huge huge bear in the middle of the highway. That particular highway isn't busy, but HOLY MASSIVE BEAR. I never saw a bear that size up close before. My issue is the freaking insects. Mosquitoes from hell. Ticks from hell. I don't even want to go camping anymore. It's just too stupid. Even dousing us in bug spray I get eaten alive and my younger kid too. The bugs love us or something. We didn't see bears at the camp site, but there were tons of skunks. Every night there were skunks all over the place and they walked right past us (as we held our breath and didn't move). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) Inyour situation i'd try adversive conditioning (once kids are safe). Firecrackers would be a good investment. Bears respect assertion of territory and will avoid unpleasant experiences. Edited July 17, 2016 by bolt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Inyour situation i'd try adversive conditioning (once kids are safe). Firecrackers would be a good investment. Bears respect assertion of territory and will avoid unpleasant experiences. Which probably are not legal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Hmm...I wonder if loud music would help scare them away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) nm Edited November 29, 2016 by cathey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Total Sympathy here, OP! Our house is next to a powerline easement - a lovely cleared path through the trees and brush that stretches for miles. Perfect travel path for the bears and moose. Up until last year, our neighbors had two wonderful dogs - a bloodhound and a basset hound. They were the ultimate alarm system - you would hear them go off and you knew some large animal was making it's way down the powerline. Unfortunately they moved away and my dogs are totally useless at alerting with wild animals - they just watch them walk by. Our neighbor swears by her air horn, but I haven't seen that it deters the animals much unless they are actually getting into something - they still seem to take the easiest path through. I keep a bucket of softballs on the back porch for throwing against the fence if I see the bears start to climb over - they don't like the thumping at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Which probably are not legal.There are places where shooting guns is legal and firecrackers are not? I wouldn't have guessed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 There are places where shooting guns is legal and firecrackers are not? I wouldn't have guessed. Actually, we're not allowed to shoot OR explode in our private development. Though the guy across the street is just dying for an excuse (personal safety may get a pass from the board) to take one out! Yes, we're familiar with the usual methods, but they've rarely worked here for 11 years. It's the increase in activity that's disturbing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 There are places where shooting guns is legal and firecrackers are not? I wouldn't have guessed. Yeah I guess I don't grasp the concept of living in a place where one can shoot guns. She lives in nature, but not exactly in the middle of nowhere without people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Seriously, you don't need firecrackers or guns... just an airhorn (we got one from the dollar store or Walmart if I recall) or even a tin can full of pennies. https://www.amazon.com/Air-Horn-987587/dp/B002TR0JEO I prefer the airhorn because once I went to shake the tin can and the lid came off. Took me a while to pick all the coins up! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 fences don't really deter bears here. They'll just break your fence if it's in their way. Bears in yards are pretty common in some neighbourhoods. I know one woman who finally moved away in frustration because too many times she came home to bears on her front porch and having to wait them out was getting annoying. http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/coquitlam+bear+sighting+capital+with+interactive/10077218/story.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 This was 25 years ago, but a black bear started hanging around my grandparents cabin. My grandmother nearly walked into it once on her porch. It forced her to stay inside because it came around so often. They eventually got a permit to shoot it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Well you definitely put my bobcat problem into perspective!! I think I will take them over bears any day. pfft. I was thinking ants. Like in the kitchen. Bears .........vs. ants...........omg ........ :lol: OP :grouphug: That is no way to start your day. I am so sorry! :grouphug: :lol: :leaving: :lol: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Seriously, you don't need firecrackers or guns... just an airhorn (we got one from the dollar store or Walmart if I recall) or even a tin can full of pennies. https://www.amazon.com/Air-Horn-987587/dp/B002TR0JEO I prefer the airhorn because once I went to shake the tin can and the lid came off. Took me a while to pick all the coins up! I understand that you're trying to be helpful with common tips. I'm trying not to feel insulted that people might see me as someone who didn't know and try the basics in 11 years. To be fair, blowing an air horn at 7am on a weekend or at midnight is not something I'd risk in a neighborhood of people who love guns! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) nm Edited November 29, 2016 by cathey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 I would start calling some kind of services like Animal Control or forest rangers or something. They CAN relocate bears by trapping them. They take them out to national forests and places like that. We are the forest. :) The pinpoint isn't on my town, but we're on this map. http://zipcode.org/city/PA/POCONOLAKEPRESERVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) pfft. I was thinking ants. Like in the kitchen. Bears .........vs. ants...........omg ........ :lol: OP :grouphug: That is no way to start your day. I am so sorry! :grouphug: :lol: :leaving: :lol: For real. All the large animals around here are herbivores and/or domesticated. ETA: wow. Logic fail. Domesticated wild animals. Edited July 18, 2016 by Quill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) nm Edited November 29, 2016 by cathey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) I understand that you're trying to be helpful with common tips. I'm trying not to feel insulted that people might see me as someone who didn't know and try the basics in 11 years. To be fair, blowing an air horn at 7am on a weekend or at midnight is not something I'd risk in a neighborhood of people who love guns! Sorry if my post came across wrong. I was responding to the big concern over whether shooting guns or firecrackers were legal (which they aren't in most places.) I was just trying to point out there are plenty of safe and legal options. When we first moved rural, we stood there and took pictures. Neighbors trained us that we needed to chase them off every single time so they didn't like coming around any more. They still came around on occasion, usually different ones though. Also, I thought you were worried about random times during the day when kids were out. Obviously misunderstood the conversation! Edited July 18, 2016 by goldberry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 What about a pellet gun out a window? Maybe if he gets stung often enough he'll leave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Also, the rural subdivision where we lived actually got a grant for everyone to get bear proof trashcans. They were the really expensive ones. Once a majority of the neighborhood got them, bear problems were greatly reduced. We once had a bear that couldn't get into ours actually sit up on top of it and cry. (or what sounded like bear cries anyway...) I almost wanted to go open the trashcan! Another time, the bear was so annoyed that he actually dragged the whole trashcan away. When we found it, it was beaten up but unopened. Heck of a trashcan! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Also, the rural subdivision where we lived actually got a grant for everyone to get bear proof trashcans. They were the really expensive ones. Once a majority of the neighborhood got them, bear problems were greatly reduced. We once had a bear that couldn't get into ours actually sit up on top of it and cry. (or what sounded like bear cries anyway...) I almost wanted to go open the trashcan! Another time, the bear was so annoyed that he actually dragged the whole trashcan away. When we found it, it was beaten up but unopened. Heck of a trashcan! Wow. That's like the yeti of trash cans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I'd wash the recyclables so there isn't any peanut butter etc. to lick/draw their attention. I'm still in the habit of rinsing things even though I don't have recycling here. I would probably not feel good about the kids being outside without an adult given the situation even if they remembered how to remain calm. None of this really solves the issue of bears randomly coming through your area, though. That really stinks! I'm sorry :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 lock your car doors if you park outside. a few days ago, i saw a report of a woman who was informed by her mother that a bear was in her car. she thought she misunderstood her. nope. somehow the bear got inside and closed the door behind it. animal control ended up standing back while one opened the hatch -and someone else stood by with a shotgun just in case. the bear was just happy to be out and took off. but her car was trashed. our next door neighbors did have a brown bear go through their backyard - and we're in 'the middle of a large populated area. Oh I bet their car stunk horribly after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Bears do occasionally destroy cars here. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/west-vancouver-police-bear-destroys-cars-interior-1.3642911 Edited July 18, 2016 by hornblower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 lock your car doors if you park outside. a few days ago, i saw a report of a woman who was informed by her mother that a bear was in her car. she thought she misunderstood her. nope. somehow the bear got inside and closed the door behind it. animal control ended up standing back while one opened the hatch -and someone else stood by with a shotgun just in case. the bear was just happy to be out and took off. but her car was trashed. our next door neighbors did have a brown bear go through their backyard - and we're in 'the middle of a large populated area. Hmm. If a bear can rip your doors off to get inside, I might prefer to leave the door unlocked so that the damage is minimized :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Hmm. If a bear can rip your doors off to get inside, I might prefer to leave the door unlocked so that the damage is minimized :lol: she'd left them unlocked. if they have to rip it off to get in - they won't be able to close it behind them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 she'd left them unlocked. if they have to rip it off to get in - they won't be able to close it behind them. Right. I'm just saying I'd prefer an intact car with a bear inside to a ripped-door-car with a bear inside. Wait, is **not** having a bear inside an option? I'd prefer that one. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Right. I'm just saying I'd prefer an intact car with a bear inside to a ripped-door-car with a bear inside. Wait, is **not** having a bear inside an option? I'd prefer that one. the inside was trashed. it wasn't 'intact'. the bear destroyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 the inside was trashed. it wasn't 'intact'. the bear destroyed it. I'm sorry, I'm really just making a joke. Bears do a tremendous amount of damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.