Authored by Haliyma Barrow in Nature and Wildlife
Published on 02-14-2011

If you live close to the woods or you are out camping knowing how to keep the bears away will save your life. Remember that bears are always searching for food and they will carry out a thorough search to find enough food to store for the wintertime. Summer is the time they are seen more frequently, as that is the time of year they gather food. If you are in an area that has regular bear sightings, take the following precautions.

Garbage cans or leftover food may attract bears to your space. Do not leave any garbage or food outside. If you must leave your garbage outside, use bear proof garbage containers that have twist and lock lids. This will make it difficult for bears to access your garbage. Additionally, these containers will help to keep bears away from your home. You may also use disinfectants, bleach or vinegar to keep the garbage containers clean. Cleaning agents will mask the smell of foods and serve as a deterrent to bear visits.

If a bear actually comes near to your space you may use air horns, bang pots and pans or even use your voice. These actions will take the bear away from the initial attraction that led it there.

In some cases, you may have to resort to drastic measures to scare bears away from your home. If possible, build a six-foot electrified fence to keep them off your property. Once they understand that they will be shocked each time they come into contact with the fence, they will desist from approaching your enclosed space and return to the woods or find another residence where they can prowl.

When you are on a campsite, bears may be attracted to your food. Keep all food in a cooler with a locking lid. Keep the cooler at least seven feet off the ground. Also, do not take any food into your tent with you. That will be a disaster waiting to happen. Leave food in the container outside the tent. Make sure to lock the container as bears will be attracted to the scent of the food.

Bears are known to be great climbers. They can climb onto low decks. If you leave anything of interest there, they are sure to find it. You may keep your barbeque grills in that area. If you recently grilled, the grilling scent may linger in the air. This will attract bears to your place. It is important to keep your deck free from loose items and your barbeque grills clean.

There is no fool-proof method to prevent a bear from coming into your space. The only thing to do is to take precautions and hope that they will work at keeping them away. The main thing to consider is to reduce the attractions that lead them to your place or campsite. Food smells are the main thing that attracts bears, therefore minimizing such scents is an effective way in keeping bears away.

References:

• AssociatedContent
• eHow
• Livingthecountrylife
• Twinj