With the warm winter, bears have continued to stay active and there have been a few bear sightings within town. New Hampshire Fish and Game are requesting that residents take their bird feeders down by March 15, 2012, earlier than the recommended date of April 1st. Also, it is important to secure your garbage in a manner that prevents bears from accessing it. Here are some more tips from the Fish and Game Department:
Homeowners should take action to reduce the chances of a bear visiting their home. Avoid encounters with bears by taking a few simple precautions:
* Because of the mild winter, stop all bird feeding by March 15 or put away feeders as soon as you can. * Clean up any spilled birdseed and dispose of it in the trash. * Secure all garbage in airtight containers inside a garage or adequate storage area, and put garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before. * Avoid putting meat or other food scraps in your compost pile. * Don't leave pet food dishes outside overnight. * Clean and store outdoor grills after each use. * Finally, never intentionally feed bears!
Normal trail noise should alert bears to your presence and prompt them to move without being noticed. However, if you see a bear, keep your distance. Make it aware of your presence by clapping, talking or making other sounds.
If a bear does not immediately leave after seeing you, the presence or aroma of food may be encouraging it to stay. Remove any sight or smell of foods. Place food items inside a vehicle or building. Occupy a vehicle or building until the bear wanders away.
Black bears will sometimes "bluff charge" when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground and slowly back away.
Enjoy watching black bears and other wildlife from a distance. Respect them and their right to live in wild New Hampshire.
Black bears do not typically exhibit aggressive behavior, even when confronted. Their first response is to flee. Black bears rarely attack or defend themselves against humans
What should I do if I find myself around a mother bear with cubs? Mother bears are rarely aggressive toward humans, but they are protective of their cubs. A mother bear will usually give many warning signs (huffing or popping sounds, swatting the ground or even bluff charges) to let you know that you are too close. Move away as described above.
Will a bear attack my dog? Bears will not intentionally attack dogs, but they can sometimes be startled or surprised by a dog if they are sneaking around a house looking for birdfeeders or following the smell of pet food. Bear will often run and tree when disturbed by dogs, but a parting swat can't be ruled out in close quarters. An exception to this would be a large male bear or sow with cubs, which may attempt to fight rather than run away if cornered. Keep your dog on a leash when walking your dog in areas of known bear activity. A mother bear may chase an unleashed dog in the protection of her cubs. The dog will probably run back to you for protection
Is it legal to feed bears? People should not feed bears or accommodate their feeding through improper food or garbage storage. Experience in New Hampshire indicates that doing so can enhance the likelihood of property damage, bear/human conflicts, or possibly result in bear behavior that leads to their removal. Purposeful or inadvertent feeding that creates the likelihood of human injury or property damage can result in your being issued a fine, if the attractant is not removed following a request to do so from a Conservation Officer.
Tips on avoiding unbearable conflicts Although black bears are generally shy and usually avoid humans, they are opportunistic and will search for human food supplies when natural foods are not available. Maintaining a sustainable bear population in New Hampshire depends on minimizing human-bear conflicts. It is illegal to intentionally feed bears in New Hampshire. Intentional feeding can create problems within residential areas and can result in fines. It also may threaten the life of the bear, if it becomes a nuisance animal as a result of this feeding.
Residential prevention
Take down, clean and put away bird feeders by April 1. Store the bird feeder until late fall. (Birds will do just fine with the natural foods available.) Bear damage to bird feeders is a common and growing spring complaint.
Clean up spilled seed below feeder stations.
Keep garbage in airtight containers inside your garage or storage area. Double bagging and the use of ammonia will reduce odors that attract bears.
Garbage for pickup should be put outside the morning of collection and not the night before.
Do not place meat or sweet food scraps in your compost pile.
Do not leave pet food or dishes outdoors at night.
Clean up and/or store outdoor grills after use.
Use a bear-proof dumpster.
Never intentionally feed bears to attract them to your yard for viewing. Since 2006, it is also illegal to intentionally feed bears.
