Bear sightings and encounters have happened everywhere from Alaska to New Jersey, northern Maine to Florida, out to California and everywhere in between.

Part of this is us, we have expanded an awful lot in the last 50 years, reducing habitat, but some of it is also bears becoming accustomed to humans and less afraid of us; here are some tips to make Smokey look some place other than your home or garage to meddle with.

Cleaning up

Put grills away. A grill that just finished smoking thick slabs of salmon is a trigger that might be easy to overlook. Bears can smell that juicy beef steak you’re grilling to medium-rare, and they’ll start moving in your direction before the marinated backstraps hit the table. The drippings from a butterflied chicken will give any bear in the area a good reason to crash the party. When the oak smoke is done rolling and the coals have cooled off, the grill must be put away. Not doing so is asking for it to be tipped over and licked clean by morning.

Store bird feeders. Homesteaders in the heart of bear country must come to the realization that bird feeders aren’t an option, unless you’re willing to bring them in each night. Bird seed is full of fat and protein, and during the early spring and late fall months, fat and protein is exactly what a bear needs to survive.

When a big bruiser awakens from his deep winter slumber, the smell of a freshly filled bird feeder is one that he will not ignore. When summer breeding is finished, and the bears begin fattening up for the coming cold months, nutritious bird feed is exactly the type of fare they’re after.

Pick up trash. Trash bags and cans left out are almost as attractive to bears as seasoned grill grates and a bird box full of nuts and seeds. A trash bag sitting outside overnight is actually an open invitation for critters of all kinds. If trash bags are stored in a barn, shed or locked bin, however, bears won’t have any reason to RSVP.

Weighing your options

Living in the heart of a northern Michigan state forest, my family has a lot of critters to live with. The reality is, not every trigger that inspires a bear to visit a homestead can be eliminated. Some of the things that attract them — for example, food gardens — are in place purposefully to feed our families. Sweet corn is one of the smelliest staples a homesteader can plant, and a nice-sized patch of it would go a long way in helping a bear to fatten up during harvest season.

I’ve found that the best deterrent to keep bears out of the garden has been electricity. I’ve employed a couple joules of juice to protect my flock of backyard chickens as well. One zap on the nose generally sends a bear in the other direction in a hurry. Constructing an electric fence is a one-time investment that pays off for years to come.

Beekeeping is another popular pastime among homesteaders. Of course, bees produce the sweetest treat of all: honey. Although electricity may prove to be effective for protecting hives, the temptation to get a taste may be too great for some problem bears. Surrounding the hives with plywood or OSB boards that have nails driven through from the underside provides the extra insurance beekeepers need. If a zap on the nose isn’t enough to turn a bear away, a foot full of nails certainly will be.

Big dogs on patrol provide a lot of protection, too. Oftentimes, bears will associate the smell of dogs with hunters.
In the event that you encounter a bear that just won’t back down, a sidearm comes in handy. It’s best to not be naïve about the critters with which we share the woods. If it makes sense to pack a little something extra before going on a hike, do so, as long as you’re within legal means.

Bear – human encounters are up (although thankfully, attacks are not) and many can be avoided by just using common sense.

This article was oriented towards those living in rural areas, but it applies for suburban areas as well, where a bear encounter in some regions is just as likely to occur.

To get other tips on avoiding unwanted wildlife encounters at your homestead, country home or suburban townhouse, please visit Grit.