Bear Safety in Western North Carolina
Baby bears are cute, mama bears can be fierce, especially when they emerge from their dens hungry. However, people and bears can safely coexist, with the key being that people need to follow the BearWise Basics.
Secure food, garbage, and recycling.
- Do not place trash/recycling out the night before collection.
- Cans should be placed at the curb on the day of pickup and removed the same day.
- Best to store trash can(s) in your garage during the week.
- Bears can smell food from miles away. Putting food scraps in the freezer and then placing them in the garbage can on the day of pickup (while still frozen) can reduce bear curiosity.
- Birdseed and other grains have a high calorie content, making them very attractive to bears. The best way to avoid conflicts with bears is to remove feeders.
- People who intentionally leave out corn or birdseed for bears do the animals and their neighbors a disservice. Unfortunately, feeding bears can cause them to lose their fear of humans and become pests.
- Feed outdoor pets portion sizes that will be completely eaten during each meal, and then remove leftover food and food bowl.
- Securely store pet food so nothing is attractive or available to bears.
- Feed pets inside if your property is subject to the occasional wandering bear.
- 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!
- Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat, and food particles are removed.
- Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
- 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.
If you encounter a bear:
- The NC Wildlife Resources Commission provides these BearWise tips on what to do if encountering a bear:
- Do not approach the bear. Quietly move away and leave the area.
- If you are a safe distance away from the bear, make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans together to scare it away.
- Give the bear a clear escape route.