Forget the Wildlife Selfies When Black Bears Come Over for Breakfast

The “Dogwood Winter” of the past week reminded us that despite the beautiful spring days, we can experience severe winter weather right up through Mother’s Day in May. When weather conditions are challenging, perhaps due to high winds, rains and flooding, or a spring snow, we all tend to notice that weather affects garbage schedules. That can be a real inconvenience.

However, no-one organizes their lives around garbage pick up in quite the same way as our friendly neighbors, the black bears. So if inclement weather interrupts your schedule, it may extend theirs.

To keep the bears from being tempted by tasty garbage morsels this spring, it’s recommended that cans not be placed on the curb until the day of pickup. Until then, you’ll want to keep the containers secured, maybe in your shed, garage, or basement. In the case of winter weather, a phone call to your local public works division will confirm changes to the pick-up schedule so you know when crews are back on track.

Bears tend to graze in the early morning or late evening during spring and into summer, so pay extra attention when you’re out and about so as not to surprise an uninvited guest. Double bagging smelly kitchen garbage can help keep bears at bay, as can keeping trash cans clean and deodorized. My next door neighbor swears that sprinkling ammonia in trash cans is a real turn off for hungry bears. I’ve also found that sprinkling hot sauce also works, and it’s a more environmentally friendly option.

While the weather is making up its mind, bears are making up for lost time. But after being around humans and their food, they tend to lose their sense of caution. So if you surprise a bear rummaging through your garbage looking for a snack, back away slowly and keep your eyes on the animal. Make lots of noise by shouting or clapping. And forget about the wildlife selfies. They are not in the mood.