DNR: ‘Enjoy summer, but be Bear-wise’

Summer has officially descended upon the northern hemisphere which means longer days for outdoor enthusiasts – but be aware that most wildlife will also be out and about enjoying the summer sun, including bears.

It wasn’t too long ago when this time last year, a local resident here in Rabun County was surprised to find a bear invading her vehicle to snag a snack. The DNR is advising that all people should be “Bear Wise” as they revel in the summer sun.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in the spring and summer months, most bears encountered outside of their typical range are young male bears trying to establish their own territory after no longer being protected by a mother bear. In some cases, though, it can be mothers with cubs or other mature bears in search of a new home or steady source of food.

While there is no way to prevent a black bear from wandering into a neighborhood, the DNR offers the following tips to discourage them from staying:

• Never feed a bear. Keep items like grills, pet food and bird feeders off-limits to bears. Clean and store grills when not using them. Keep pet food indoors and take down bird feeders when bears are most active.
• Also, use “bear-proof” garbage containers, or store garbage in the garage or other enclosed areas until the morning of pick-up or drop-off day.

Properly securing food and garbage prevents bears from accessing these non-natural, human-provided food sources, and helps avoid the unhealthy process of habituation that occurs when bears obtain food from people and begin associating humans with food, the DNR says.