On June 20, 2011 the President of our cottage association sent the following email about a few bears roaming in our neighbourhood. Her email contains some useful advice about how to avoid attracting bears, and how to protect yourself. In addition to her suggestions when we go walking in the area we also carry an old bicycle horn (the type you honk - it makes a nice loud noise) and also carry a can of bear repellent (which I purchased at a store that sells camping gear - after I proved to them I was not a gang member!).
Here's her email:
Hi Everyone,
We have several different bear and bear families seen about in our community
• An extremely large male bear that must be over well over 300 lbs
• A large female with 3 little cubs that are a little larger than a cockapoo dog
• a young female bear that is about 1 -2 years old
• A large female with 2 midsize cubs
The above bears have been seen around the community, (on decks, in yards, etc) but have not caused any problems other than concern of them being around. Conservation will not set up traps unless the bears get to be destructive or endanger someone's life. They do not want to trap the mother with the 3 cubs as they little ones would not survive without the mother bear.
The bears are hungry, as there are no berries ready yet. Please ensure that you follow the tips below so to minimize their attraction to the community.
• Bird feeders have played a very serious role in attracting bears into townsites. Take your feeder down in the summer. If you must have a feeder, wait until late November before filling it with seed, and don't forget to take it down before the bears come out in spring, usually by early March. Also, be sure to store your bird seed inside.
• Do not store garbage outside or in your vehicle. Pickup truck toppers are not bear proof, and we must remember that it is the smells that draw the bears to a specific location.
• Keep your compost free of meat and meat by-products. It is important to limit what we place in our compost heaps. Avoid placing fish, meat, bones, egg shells, dairy products or fruit into your compost. Adding some lime to your compost can also speed up the decomposition and reduce the smell.
• Keep your barbeque clean. The smell of a juicy steak can permeate the air and attract more than envious glances from non-barbequing neighbours. These same smells can attract bears to your deck once you head to bed. When you're finished your feast, burn the food off of the grill, or at least clean the barbeque carefully. Also, if you store your barbeque outside, use a cover as this will reduce the smell emanating from it. Keeping your patio door closed when cooking indoors also helps to reduce the smell of food in the air.
Enjoy the bears from a distance and be safe on your walkabouts. Take a walking stick, wear bells or anything else that makes noise to keep them at a distance.
