Keeping Bears Wild and Safe

Bears are bulking up for hibernation!

Let’s do our part to keep bears safe during hyperphagia (time of huge calorie intake) so they can settle in for their long winter sleep.

Immediate steps you can take:

• SECURE YOUR TRASH
  This is the #1 reason bears are in town -easy calories!

  • Buy a bear resistant cart or lease one from your local trash hauler

• BIRD FEEDERS

  • Only put up when bears are hibernating (typically November-April)

  • If you must have a feeder up during active bear season (May-Oct) follow these recommendations:

    • Suspend the feeder at least 10 feet off the ground

    • Make sure it is at least 10 feet away from any trees, posts, decks, or other objects bears can climb

    • Clean up scattered seed on the ground

    • Consider replacing with bird attracting plants

• HARVEST FRUIT TREES
  If you need help, let us know and we will see if there is a fruit gleaning program in your community.

• USE DETERRENTS
  Let the bear know that being in town is not a comfortable experience.

  • Electric mats at points of entry to a house or feed storage area
    If you want to borrow an electric door mat, let us know. 

  • Noise Blow horns, bang pots and pans

  • Electric fencing around beehives and chicken coops

Bears are opportunists. They will always choose the easiest, most reliable calories. Let’s think like a bear: Spend 10+ hours a day searching for berries, or spend 1–2 hours in town eating trash that’s always there (yes—they know the trash schedule), then nap and play the rest of the day. Easy choice.

In places like South Lake Tahoe, some bears never hibernate because they have access to human food year-round. This is dangerous for them and leads to more conflict with people.

It’s completely normal for natural food sources to fluctuate, especially in winter when fruits and plants go dormant. The lack of food is what triggers hibernation.

When we provide artificial food sources—intentionally or unintentionally—we interrupt this natural cycle and put bears at risk.

Let’s not interfere with nature.
Let’s keep human food and trash secured so bears can stay wild, stay healthy, and stay safe.