Black Bears Live Near You - What Attracts Bears

Follow this advice as soon as you see a bear, or you hear that a bear has been in the area.

Bear Attractants How to keep bears away
  Green Carts
  • store in a shed until pickup day
  • put out on the morning of green cart pickup, NOT before
  • clean with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water after every pickup
  • freeze these and put them in the green cart just before pickup:
    • meat, bones, fat, seafood shells
    • rotting fruit
    • fruit and vegetable waste such as peels, cores, rotting leaves
  Garbage Containers
  • store in a shed until pickup day
  • put out on the morning of garbage pickup, NOT before
  Garden Compost
  • stir often to help decomposition
  • sprinkle lime on smelly compost
  • leave these out
    • meat, bones, fat, seafood shells
  Bird Feeders
  • avoid using bird feeders in bear season (April - October). Birds will be able to find natural sources of food at this time.
  • a bird bath will attract birds, but not bears.
  Barbecues
  • burn off grill at high temperature after every use
  • clean often
  • cover when not in use
  Pet Food Bowls
  • keep indoors
  Fruit Trees
  • pick fruit as soon as it ripens
  • pick fallen fruit off the ground

Following this advice should solve your bear problem.

Bear Facts I spotted a bear