Help keep bears wild

Tips for avoiding human/bear encounters

wildlife viewing

Black bears are part of the natural ecosystem but conflict can occur when they enter our space, or we enter theirs. Follow these tips to help keep bears wild, and people safe.

Black bears in Oregon

There are between 25,000 and 30,000 black bears in Oregon; mostly in the Cascade Range west to the Pacific Ocean and in the Blue and Wallowa mountains of northeast Oregon. Most forage safely in the woods feeding on berries, seeds, insects, roots, carrion and small animals.

Black bear running through a neighborhood yard

However, as human habitation encroaches into bear country, human/bear conflicts increase. In their on-going search for food, bears will sometimes come into yards, campsites and even rural or more urban communities looking for easy pickings – food scraps, garbage, pet food or bird feeders.

Once bears learn they can find food near homes or campgrounds, they may lose their fear of humans and become a threat to human safety. When this happens, most often the bear must be humanely killed. (Continue reading to learn why.)

Most nuisance bear problems can be easily avoided by taking some appropriate precautions, especially in spring and fall. In fact, It’s illegal to either directly or indirectly feed bears (ORS 496.730) and can result in a criminal citation (Class A misdemeanor) by Oregon State Police.

BearWise is a national consortium of fish and wildlife management agencies formed to help keep bears wild by offering guidelines to reducing bear/human interactions.

Six at home basics

Bears often come to houses and communities looking for an easy meal. Problems occur when bears lose their fear of humans – this makes them dangerous. Here are some BearWise tips for discouraging bears from dining at your house:

Never feed or approach bears. Intentionally feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. Bears will defend themselves if a person gets too close, so don’t risk your safety and theirs!
Secure food, garbage and recycling. Food and odors attract bears, so don’t reward them with easily available food, liquids or garbage.

Bears will raid backyard bird feeders looking for food. Photo by Bob Gundersen
Remove bird feeders when bears are active. Birdseed and grains have a lot of calories, so they’re very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears.
Never leave pet food outdoors. Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove food and bowls after feeding. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it.
Clean and store grills. Clean grills after each use and make sure that all of the grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
Alert neighbors to bear activity. See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share information on how to avoid bear conflicts. Bears have adapted to living near people; now it’s up to us to adapt to living near bears.

Being BearWise will be more effective if it’s a community effort. Print a copy of these tips to share with your neighbors and other community members. Mire e imprima estos consejos en español.

Recurring bear problems?

Here’s what you can do.

Call your local ODFW for advice. Biologists can provide information on preventative measures and what you may legally do to stop further problems.
Oregon law permits a person to take (shoot) a bear if the animal is causing damage, posing a risk to public health or threat to human safety, or is a public nuisance (ORS 498.012 and ORS 498.166). There are laws regulating the discharge of firearms within city limits so it is best to involve ODFW or law enforcement if you live in town.
Oregon law (ORS 498.012) defines a threat to human safety as:
- Aggressive actions directed toward a person or persons, including but not limited to charging, false charging, growling, teeth popping and snarling.
- Breaking into, or attempting to break into, a residence.
- Attacking a pet or domestic animal.
- Loss of wariness of humans, displayed through repeated sightings of the animal during the day near a permanent structure.
Any bear that is killed must be reported to ODFW immediately and checked in to an ODFW office for sampling within 10 days.

Why bears can’t be relocated

It sounds simple. Just take the nuisance bear far away from the problem and they’ll start acting like wild bears again. However, studies of radio-collared bears have shown that isn’t what happens when a bear is relocated. Instead,
• Bears have a very strong tendency to return to the place they were captured – some travelling up to 50 miles to return.
• Bears that have become habituated to “human food” tend to repeat the same bad behaviors in their new location. Relocating bears is essentially exporting the problem to another community.
Most habituated nuisance bears that are captured have to be humanely killed to protect human safety.

Outdoor safety tips

Black bears are seldom aggressive and rarely injure people. Follow these BearWise tips to avoid encounters.

Hiking

Be aware of your surroundings.
Try not to hike alone.
Keep the kids within sight and close by.
Make noise periodically so bears in the area can avoid you.
Keep dogs on a leash at all times, or leave them at home.
Double bag your food and pack out all food and trash. Leaving scraps, wrappers or even “harmless” things like apple cores teaches bears to associate trails and campsites with food.

Black bear peering in car window — Avoid bear encounters, even it you feel safe, to avoid habituating bears to humans.

Camping

Keep a clean camp.
Don’t burn food scraps or trash in your fire ring or grill.
Don’t store food, trash, clothes worn when cooking, or toiletries in your tent. Store in approved bear-resistant containers OR out of sight in a locked vehicle OR suspended at least 10 feet above the ground and 10 feet from any part of the tree. Local storage regulations vary.
Cook downwind and as far from your tent as possible.
Set up backcountry camps away from dense cover and natural food sources.

Fishing & hunting

You are more likely to encounter bears when moving quietly and traveling early and late in the day when bears are most active.
Follow tips for hiking and camping safety.
Know that carcasses, gut piles and bait may attract bears.
If a bear beats you to your catch or kill, don’t try to reclaim it; leave the area when it is safe to do so.

Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Keep bear spray accessible; it’s proven to be the easiest and most effective way to deter a bear that threatens you.

Precautions for dog walkers, cyclists and joggers

Always keep dogs leashed. Letting dogs chase or bark at bears is asking for trouble; don’t force a bear to defend itself.
If you travel quickly and quietly, you can easily surprise bears. Stay alert; music and phones are distracting. Be aware of your surroundings; make noise periodically.

If you encounter a black bear

If you see a bear before it notices you, don’t approach. Stand still, enjoy the moment, then quietly move away.
If a bear sees you, back away slowly. Never run; running may trigger a chase response.
If a bear approaches, hold your ground; wave your arms and yell “Hey bear” until it leaves. Always stay with your group. If a bear keeps approaching, use bear spray.
If a black bear makes contact with you, do NOT play dead; fight back aggressively.

Print a copy of these tips to share with you camping, hiking, hunting and fishing partners. Mire e imprima estos consejos en español.