BE BEAR AWARE

Now is a great time to freshen up on your bear awareness and identification skills. Hikers, campers, hunters and homeowners can help keep bears wild and avoid costly property damage by taking some simple precautions.

 Homeowners, campers and hunters can help keep bears wild and avoid costly property damage by taking some simple precautions

• Keep pet food secured as you do your own. Bears like pet food as much as your pet does.
• Avoid filling bird feeders until wintertime.
• Keep garbage in a secure location, and place it at the curb only on the morning of pick up.
• When selecting a campsite, look for recent signs of bear activity. If you see them, look for a different campsite.
• Keep your camp clean; cook and prepare food far away from your sleeping area.
• Never keep food in your tent.
• Hang food away from your sleeping area in a bag at least 10 feet off the ground and at least four feet from the nearest trunk. Or use commercially available bear-resistant containers, and locate them away from your sleeping area.
• Never keep personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste or deodorant, in your tent; secure these items with your food.
• Do not bury or throw garbage into the nearby woods.
• Hang harvested animals at least 10 feet off the ground and at least four feet from the nearest tree trunk. A meat pole placed between two trees is a good option.
• Make sure to clean your grills and keep them in a building if possible.

 Bear tips while out in the woods

• Carry bear spray
• Make a lot of noise when returning to a carcass
• Know your surroundings
• Don’t travel alone