Debbie McDonald
This month’s newsletter from bearwise.org focuses on bears searching for a good winter den – it could be on your property where you least expect to find a bear. An amazing fact is that bears do not have a collarbone. Even ADULT bears can fit through what seems like an impossibly small opening – like the average dog door or crawl space opening under a building. If a bear can get its head inside, the rest of the bear can follow.
Whether a full-time resident or seasonal visitor, there are three items of note to discourage bears from denning up your property: Close and lock pet doors, sheds, root cellars and outbuildings. Check under porches and decks for areas or openings where bears might find shelter, and barricade the openings as best you can. Don’t leave garbage, bird feeders, birdseed, or food meant for other wildlife where bears can access it. The entire Bear Wise article has more tips and a link to an informative video on how to snug up your crawl space (https://bitly/4eN6JGS).
We can enjoy the occasional bear sighting in High Prairie and help to keep the bears wild. None of us want to deal with a surprise or problem bear