robin went out this morning, as she does every day, to check on the bird feeders. quelle surprise! they were both on the ground.
and nearby on the driveway the culprit left a calling card.
concerned that we might miss his card he left another. we have never seen a bear shit (verb) in the woods or anywhere else but we have seen bear shit (noun) in the woods.
You may not want to keeping putting out the birdseed for awhile. Once a bear starts coming around for goodies, they can get themselves into trouble and end up having to be destroyed. It's too bad for the birds but the bears become moochers and can even try to break into houses. Just better that it goes elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteWe were surprised that after all these years a bear went for the bird feeders. I'm hoping that if I take them down every night it will be enough of a deterrence.
ReplyDeleteThat's unfortunate. I hope you are successful by taking the feeders down nightly, but you may have to do as Rain suggests and forego feeding the birds for awhile.
ReplyDeleteArticles in the Montana newspapers have indicated how it is bad when the bears get used to coming around humans for food of any sort. I hope the taking it in at night is enough. Bears though come around other places daytimes also. The tough part is that the bears pay the price when they decide humans have goodies.
ReplyDeleteThis is really the third encounter we've had with the bears over the years. They trashed the plum tree the first summer we were here in 2010. Then, we didn't hear from them again until a few weeks ago when they ate every apple off of our tree of golden delicious. All this time we've had the bird feeders up, and they never bothered with them. I think they're pretty hungry at the end of the fall season and looking for easy food. We'll keep the blog updated with further bear stories. I'm hoping there won't be anything to tell.
ReplyDeleteSome fruits draw them in more than others. We had bear scat down around our house when we first moved here because there was a plum tree down along the creek. the creek took it out and no more bear sign. We do have apple trees but there are a lot of them in the old homesteads around here; so nothing special to draw them in-- plus we have good fences. I've had them growl at me when out walking in the afternoon; so no special time. They are though trying to build up fat and some in Montana have gotten in trouble over fruit trees this fall. Soon yours should hibernate.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how that bear managed to eat that quarter.
ReplyDeleteWell Pablo made me laugh but I do hope you don't have anymore encounters. Bears have my total respect.
ReplyDeletemaybe next time I'm up you could nudge your car over in the garage so I can fit mine in....
ReplyDeleteI'd hate to think some old gum wrapper would cause a bear to rip by car open like tin can!
Wow if they're after bird seed it must be slim pickings out there in the wild. That doesn't sound very filling.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rain. Bear-Smart folks in Whistler say the same thing. Feeders have to be taken down - totally. Otherwise the bears will become a nuisance to people since they are hunting for food and learn there is food in the area. They return and become insistent at some point. Before you know it, they are killed. So many bears have met with that fate. A special one so many of us loved in Whistler named Jeanie was one of those last fall. She made it 20+ years, but last year with the small berry crop and a young cub, she was hungry as she prepared for the den. She was killed for foraging for food in a "people" area. So heartbreaking when this happens. The bears are hungry during years of small berry production or following massive wildfires that might have destroyed or limited food supplies, and become more focused on food in areas where they find it provided by human hands they learn they can count on. Jeanie had a cub that would not have made it through the winter alone. :( If she had not been captured and sent to a rescue facility late last fall where she stayed until spring she would be dead. Even so, she had to learn how to live without her mama/playmate, acclimate to the rescue center for the winter, and acclimate to the new territory where she was relocated in her spring release. Her chance of survival was compromised. Territory is often taken by bears native to the area. So much risk for the bears when they find food, in any form, among people. They do often try to break into home near those sources and that can be a diaster. We hear so many stories about these situations so frequently from our Whistler bear friends who plead with residents about practicing bear-smart behavior and lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteMy folks have to take their feeders down every night or they are totally torn up by morning.
ReplyDeleteYou might have to start bringing the feeders in at night. Otherwise the bear will almost certainly return. Have a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI don't have bears, but I do have raccoons and flying squirrels, and I've got to take my feeders down overnight. I think you'll have to do so, too.
ReplyDeleteYou might have to stop feeding for a while, too, as many of your commenters suggested, because inevitably there's spillage on the ground that will attract the bear even in the absence of the "mother lode."
Good luck!
Rain is right. We had that problem in Vermont, because bears love suet.
ReplyDeletePoor old bruins. And sorry you are affected by their needs. It's one thing to have thieving squirrels; quite another to be worried about going outside in your yard due to possible bear attack.
ReplyDeleteGeeze...
Once you know the bears have hibernated, you can put the feeders back up. Like most of us, they're trying to get as much fat on before winter. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteokay, cougars and bears?
ReplyDeleteroger, keep an eye on that wisp of a girl of yours.
we are fond of her.