Normally, bears are

active from dusk till dawn. However, if a bear

finds a connection between humans and food they

may become more active during daylight hours and

disregard some of their fear of humans.

"A bear's

natural food supply is lowest in the spring and

in the late summer," says Forster. "At

these times, items like garbage, pet food,

charcoal grills, bird seed, fish food, domestic

bee hives and corn may attract a hungry

bear."

Seeing a bear in

the yard or in the wild is not necessarily a

cause for alarm, but people should use caution.

Always keep in mind that bears are wild animals,

however tame they may look, and they may react

unpredictably.

Never approach a

bear. If a bear gives off warning signs, such as

snapping jaws, slapping the ground or bluff

charging it is a sign that the bear is feeling

threatened and anyone near the bear should back

away slowly and leave the area. Do not attempt to

run away; this may cause the bear to give chase.

Since most bear

problems are associated with their search for

food, the best way to avoid contact is to prevent

them from finding or smelling food near humans.

When camping or hiking in a part of the state

that is home to bears, keep food, coolers and

backpacks in a well-secured area.

Make sure to remove

all cooking scraps and other garbage. If a grill

is used, clean off the food residue and store the

grill out of reach.

People living in

areas where black bears can be found always

should remain aware of their surroundings and

never feed bears. Steps to minimize or eliminate

food attractants should be taken in order to

avoid conflicts. Some examples include securing

garbage in bear-proof containers, keeping pet

food indoors and using electric fences around

gardens, beehives or compost piles.

For more

information on black bears, call the closest WRD

Game Management Office or 770-918-6416.

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