Living in Bear Country

Protecting Your Home in Bear Country

The best way to keep your home bear safe and protect your property from damage is to eliminate or secure any bear attractants. Attractants are things with an odor that attract bears, such as:

  • human foods
  • garbage
  • gardens
  • orchards
  • bee boxes
  • bird seed and feeders
  • pet food
  • and many other items with an odor
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Bears can smell food and trash from miles away. It is critically important that people who live in Bear Country remember that bears may consider anything with an odor a food source. Please eliminate/secure any attractants so that bears cannot access them.

The following tips will help protect your home from bears:

  • Store garbage in a secure building until you dispose of it.
  • Use bear-resistant containers to secure trash and make sure they are closed and locked.
  • Remove bird feeders from March through November.
  • Consider attracting birds with nest boxes, birdhouses, and bird baths instead of feeders.
  • Install permanent or temporary electric fencing around gardens, fruit trees, or berry bushes. Pick up dropped fruit.
  • Permanent and temporary electric fencing can help protect chickens and bee boxes.
  • Clean grills after use and store them in a secure building.