Fish & Game Dept. says take down bird feeders earlier this year

CONCORD — As the winter season winds down and spring approaches, it is important to recognize that bears will become increasingly active throughout the state. Officials are asking the New Hampshire public to be both proactive and responsible and remove bird feeders and secure other backyard attractants. Although March 31 is the traditional deadline for ending winter bird feeding activity, milder winters and the earlier arrival of spring conditions warrant earlier action. “During recent years, den emergence by bears appears to be a couple of weeks earlier as compared with historical trends, which is a direct result of milder winters and decreased snow pack,” said Andrew Timmins, Bear Project Leader for the NH Fish and Game Department. “The strong spring sunshine, longer days, warmer temperatures, and receding snow level stimulate many wildlife species, including hungry bears, to start searching for available food. As bears start to get active, let it serve as a reminder that it is time to put the bird feeders away until next fall."

Reports of bear activity and sightings have become more frequent in recent days and many people are reporting seeing bears at their bird feeders, according to Timmins. By taking action now, you can prevent attracting a bear to your home. Do not wait for a bear to get the bird feeder and then respond, because doing so encourages bears to come back and search around your home again for more food. Homeowners need to take action to avoid conflicts with bears. Feeding birds during the spring and summer is a hobby that puts bears at incredible risk; It is easier to avoid a conflict rather than resolve one, Timmins said.

Black oil sunflower seeds are simply too high a quality of food, high in fat and protein, for bears to ignore. Natural bear foods during spring and summer are generally high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat. As a result, it does not make nutritional sense for a bear to ignore sunflower seeds. Bird feeders typically are the direct cause of 25 percent of conflicts during years when bear-human conflicts are more abundant. In addition to bird feeders, other attractants that contribute significantly to conflicts included unprotected chickens and other poultry (23 percent) and unsecured garbage cans/dumpsters (38 percent). “If the public would be willing to address these three common attractants, we could immediately reduce annual bear-human conflicts by 70-80 percent, which would be tremendous,” said Timmins.

Homeowners should take a few simple precautons to reduce the chances of a bear visiting their home:

• Stop all bird feeding by April 1 or at the onset of extended spring-like weather conditions.
• Clean up any spilled birdseed and dispose of it in the trash.
• Secure all garbage in airtight containers inside a garage or adequate storage area, and put garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before. If using a dumpster, inform your dumpster company that you need a dumpster with metal locking tops and doors that are inaccessible to bears and other wildlife.
• Avoid putting meat or other food scraps in your compost pile.
• Don't leave pet food dishes outside overnight.
• Clean and store outdoor grills after each use.
• Finally, never feed bears!

These steps will help to ensure that your backyard does not become attractive to bears and other wildlife, which is important because it prevents property damage by bears and because it keeps bears from becoming nuisance animals. For more information on preventing conflicts with black bears, visit www.wildnh.com/wildlife/somethings-bruin.html.

If you have questions about bear-related problems, you can get advice by calling a toll-free number coordinated jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department: 1-888-749-2327 (1-888-SHY-BEAR).

You can avoid attracting bears to your home by taking a few simple precautions. (Courtesy photo)