Seward Cares for its Bears
Seward Cares For Its Bears is a collaborative initiative to support bear awareness and strategies to reduce bear encounters associated with food, trash and other attractants throughout the Seward community. It will take all of us working together to make a positive difference, so join in and help keep our nosy neighbors happy in the woods and not roving the neighborhoods.
With the longer days and warming temperatures, now is the perfect time to proactively make sure bears can't access food, scented items, trash and other attractants at your home, business or when you are recreating.
What resources can help? Obtain a bear resistant trash can or modified dumpster for your home, business, apartment, overnight rental or multiple-resident facility. In need of electric fencing, there are resources available for you!
Other tips: be sure to clean up areas that will make a bear curious--they are nosey and smart! Soon, birds will have more space to forage, so be sure to take down Winter bird feeders as they will bring in bears… and likely, those are not the kind of birds you were hoping for!
Stay tuned for more updates on resources, educational opportunities, events and other ways to help Seward become a bear aware and bear prepared community.
With the longer days and warming temperatures, now is the perfect time to proactively make sure bears can't access food, scented items, trash and other attractants at your home, business or when you are recreating.
What resources can help? Obtain a bear resistant trash can or modified dumpster for your home, business, apartment, overnight rental or multiple-resident facility. In need of electric fencing, there are resources available for you!
Other tips: be sure to clean up areas that will make a bear curious--they are nosey and smart! Soon, birds will have more space to forage, so be sure to take down Winter bird feeders as they will bring in bears… and likely, those are not the kind of birds you were hoping for!
Stay tuned for more updates on resources, educational opportunities, events and other ways to help Seward become a bear aware and bear prepared community.
Some tips on how to keeps bears out and garbage in
*Store garbage and animal food inside secure buildings or in bear-resistant garbage containers (BRGCs) e.g., bear resistant (poly) plastic garbage cans, or steel barrel or drum with a locking lid.
*Put garbage out the morning of pickup. If you take your garbage to a collection site, do so regularly and make sure to place it inside the dumpster and close the lid.
*Remove bird feeders between spring and fall (April - October) and clean up uneaten food and seed hulls each spring when you put your feeders away.
*Keep pet, horse, and domestic animal feed, meat scraps, and fish in a secure place or container.
*Store your barbecues in a protected place and burn off grease after each use.
*Keep domestic animals where they are safe. Chickens and rabbits in outside pens are attractive prey.
*Place your garden in the open, away from cover and game trails.
*Avoid composting anything a bear might like to eat (fish, meat, seaweed, etc.)
*Use electric fences to keep bears out of gardens and compost piles, and protect cabins and domestic animals.
*At vacation or weekend cabins, keep your garbage in BRGCs and take it home with you.
*If there is a bear in the neighborhood, let people know. Work together to protect your neighborhood and to conserve wildlife.
*Berry pickers: be alert and take frequent breaks to scan your surroundings. Talk or sing. If you see fresh scat move on to a new patch. Pack out everything you bring in.
*Hunters: keep a clean camp; only shoot game animals that you can carry out field dressed or boned the same day. Avoid overnight field caches. Please make sure that gut piles are well away from roads and trails.
*Fishermen: keep stringers & belongings with you, bleed fish into the water immediately, cut carcasses into small pieces and toss all fish waste into deep fast moving water.