(WFRV) – As the weather begins to warm up, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are encouraging the public to “be bear aware” and take the needed steps to avoid conflicts with black bears this spring.
According to a release from the DNR, every spring, black bears throughout Wisconsin end their winter hibernation and leave their dens searching for food and potentially new territory. While bears are usually solitary forest animals, their powerful sense of smell can lead them into urban areas in search of food, leading to unexpected interactions between bears and the public.
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Black bears are known for returning to places and locations where they have successfully found previous food sources, making prevention an important tactic in avoiding possible conflicts. The DNR and BearWise® have provided the following tips on preventing black bear encounters and conflicts:
- Never feed or approach bears
- The risk of unexpected interactions increases when bears begin to associate people with food.
- If bears find a consistent food source around people or people actively feed a bear, the bear will make a habit of visiting the area or approaching people.
- Secure food, garage and recycling
- Food and food odors attract bears.
- Do not reward them with easily available food, liquids, or garbage.
- Remove bird feeders when bears are active
- Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, making them very attractive to bears.
- Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears.
- Never leave pet food outdoors
- Feed pets indoors when possible.
- If pets must be fed outside, feed in single portions and remove food and bowls after feeding.
- Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it.
- Clean and store grills inside
- Barbeque grills and picnic tables often have leftover food scraps or residues on them that can attract black bears.
- Clean surfaces after use in public spaces to reduce negative human-bear interactions.
- Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
- Alert neighbors to bear activity
- If bears or bear activities are seen in a backyard, alert nearby neighbors.
- Bears have adapted to living near people.
- Share information on how to avoid bear conflicts with neighbors.
While black bears are said to be much more common in the northern part of the state, officials say recent years have seen an increase in black bear activity in the southern part of the state, making the above tips important to remember for anyone living in Wisconsin.
Should a black bear enter or be near a home or cabin, try to scare the bear away by moving to a safe location, making loud noises, such as banging pots and pans together, and throwing things in the bear’s general direction. Officials say black bears typically look to avoid conflict with people so long as escape is an option, so be sure to leave a clear escape route and never corner the bear.
Once the bear is gone and scared away, be sure to remove and dispose of any items that may have attracted the bear in the first place in order to avoid future potential visits.
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If a black bear is encountered in the woods, it is said to be important to stay calm and to not run. The DNR says to wave the arms and make loud noises in an attempt to scare the bear away before slowly backing away to a safe location.
Never approach a bear, do not attempt to break up fights between bears and pets, and one should also never turn their back to a bear.
If a nuisance bear becomes a recurring issue, the DNR says to call either the USDA Wildlife Services, Northern Wisconsin (800-228-1368 (in-state) or 715-369-5221) or the USDA Wildlife Services, Southern Wisconsin (800-433-0663 (in-state) or 920-324-4514).
For more information on avoiding unexpected conflicts with black bears, click here.
