Bears near your home

In wilderness settings bears usually avoid people. But food attractants near homes can cause them to grow habituated to humans and disturbances, such as dogs and other noises. Bears are attracted by bird feeders, garbage, outdoor pet food, compost piles, fruit trees, and berry-producing shrubs.

What to do if you encounter a bear:

Never approach a bear. View it from a safe distance.  Leave an escape route for the bear.

Make your presence known by making noise and waving your arms.

Stand your ground, then slowly back away.  Do not run or climb a tree.  If possible, go into a vehicle or building.  Cornered or threatened bears may “bluff charge,” stopping before making contact.

Black bears are rarely aggressive toward humans.  They should not be feared, just respected.

To avoid attracting bears:

·         Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder.

·         Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out trash. Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed.

·         Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store livestock food in airtight containers.

·         Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears.

·         Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed.

·         Never intentionally feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become aggressive and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to destroy problem animals.

·         Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.

If you see a bear on your property you can either leave the bear alone and wait for it to leave or make loud noises from a safe distance to attempt to scare the bear away. After the bear leaves the property, remove anything that may have attracted it to the area.

Report bear sightings to the DEP Wildlife Division at 860 -675-8130 or on the DEP’s website: www.ct.gov/dep

This following link is a printable info page from DEP for those of you looking for additional info to pass along since there have been bear sighting in Enfield two days in a row...
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325968&depNav_GID=1655

Also notify your local police department.