Pennsylvania Game Commission Offers Bear Safety Tips

Hibernation season for the black bear is approaching, and with it hungry bears are more likely to wander closer to populated areas in search of food. Sightings and encounters are always more common during this time of year, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission is giving advice on how to stay safe in bear country.

The first bit of advice is obvious - avoid feeding wildlife. Bears accustomed to foraging for food left by humans are more likely to become accustomed to our surroundings. Food left for deer, squirrels and birds is tempting for bears too. Avoid putting out holiday decorations that appeal to animals, traditional edible items such as squash, pumpkins, or ears of corn. Sunflower seeds and suet are particularly attractive to bears. Wait to feed birds until the time of year bears are hibernating - typically November through the end of March. If a bear does visit to take advantage of these treats, remove the feeders for a few weeks and encourage your neighbors to do so also.

Next, you should take care in keeping your yard clean and unappealing. Wait until the day your garbage will be picked up to place it outside. Clean meat drippings from your barbecue grill after every use. Don't throw food scraps outside for pets and if you feed them outside bring their food bowls in overnight.

If a bear does come onto your property, stay at or get to a safe distance. Do not approach a bear to try to scare it away, but do not hide if you're outside when one is present either. Shout and wave at it from a safe distance and slowly back away. Remove other temptations a bear would find in your neighborhood. Organize your neighbors and area businesses in keeping dumpsters cleaned up and locked. It doesn't matter if your yard is the most uninteresting place for a bear if he has to cross it to get to your neighbor's trash.

Investigate barking pets or strange noises - carefully. Never investigate on foot at night. Black bears blend in too well for many people to detect, even with the aid of a flashlight. Turn on a porch or interior light and quickly bring pets in if they seem nervous. If you see a bear, the advice is to stay calm and get back slowly while paying attention to the bear's body language. If the bear shows signs of being agitated such as huffing, swinging its head or false charging, yell and wave your arms while backing away slowly. Running can incite the bear to chase. Paying attention to the environment is vital so you don't start backing towards a mother bear's cubs by mistake.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission's final piece of advice is to fight back if attacked. You should continue trying to escape while using whatever possible - car keys, rocks, sticks, bare hands - to convince the bear that you are more trouble than it's worth.

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Pennsylvania State Game Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission Offers Advice on Avoiding Bear Conflicts, PR Newswire