A family called us in September that they have seen a black bear a few times on their property east of Calgary and they believed that it got into their bird feeders. They had small children and they were concerned that the bear will return again.
Investigation:
As always, I conducted a thorough investigation of the property and the surrounding area. The yard was adjacent to the Elbow River. From the northwestern corner of the unfenced yard there was a trail going downhill to the river at the valley bottom. Behind the large deck, on the northern side of the yard, there was thick bush, the west and south side was bordered by a small wooded area. There was only one direct neighbor, on the east side, who was on an extended vacation so their property was unoccupied temporarily. Most of the yard was covered by grass. I found several bird feeders on the deck. The bear was apparently feeding from them since there were seeds on the deck all around underneath the feeders and one of them was damaged. There was also a plywood box full with bird seeds on the deck that the bear accessed since the box was not locked. Even if the lid was locked it would’ve been easy for a bear to smash the plywood. Fortunately the garbage was kept in a locked storage. However, I found a compost bin next to the deck that the bear also fed from. There were bear scats in the yard which apparently had residuals of crabapples. There was no crabapple tree in the yard; however the neighbor had several of them.
Solution:
I explained the followings to the owners: This was a classic situation of how bears get into trouble in residential areas. They move along the rivers and creek beds in natural habitat which often lead them to human populated areas. Bears are opportunistic; therefore once they get there, they might explore the area and find the available attractants. They (my clients) live along a natural wildlife corridor, the Elbow River. Furthermore, the yard is surrounded from three sides by bush or trees that provide an opportunity for bears to approach the yard in cover, unnoticed.
Grass is important bear attractant only in the spring and early summer, but that time bears are usually attracted to larger areas covered with grass, such as golf courses. However, it’s important to keep the lawn mowed and do not let weeds growing in it, especially dandelion and clover that are strong attractants.
It is very important to not use bird feeders, including hummingbird feeders, at least when the bears are most active, from April to October. The best would be to restrict them from December to February or even better, avoid using them entirely. The birdseed bin should be locked inside the building. The compost bin should be made bear resistant for example by an electric fence. If they wish I can get and install one for them.
The crabapple in the neighbor’s yard is also a major concern. When the neighbors return they should convince them to substitute those trees with not fruit bearing ornamental trees. If they need my assistance I am more than happy to talk to the neighbors, as well.
It is excellent that they keep the garbage locked inside the building. However, they should be careful and take out the garbage only in the morning of the pick-up day. Even one night outside before the pick-up day is more than enough for a bear to find it. Eating from trash even a single time can ruin a bear’s life. They quickly learn to associate people with garbage, thus high-calorie food, and they will return and/or seek for it on other properties. Eventually they usually get relocated or, depending on the situation, even euthanized.
Later, during my follow-up call, my clients told me that they took down the bird feeders, locked the birdseed container inside the building and got rid of the compost bin. The bear had not showed up again and they felt relieved.