The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) were reminding people to be Bearwise.
Missouri’s estimated 1,000 plus black bears were focused on fattening up and can spend up to 20 hours a day foraging for food.
This could lead to conflicts between bears and people, pets, and property.
The City of Vienna stated their police department received reports of suspected bear droppings.
MDC Furbearer Biologist Nate Bowersock stated it is important that people remove or secure bear attractants from their property, such as bird feeders, trash, barbeque grills, pet food, and food waste.
“When the eating is good, a bear can put on two or three pounds a day,” Bowersock stated.
“By hibernation time, many bears will have added about four inches of fat and gained between 20% and 50% of their summer body weight.”
The annual feeding frenzy is called “hyperphagia,” and is driven by bears’ biological clocks counting down to hibernation.
Bowersock mentioned that intentionally feeding bears could be dangerous because it makes them comfortable around people and can lead bears to cause significant damage to property while searching for food.
“When bears lose their fear of humans, they could approach people in search of food or may become defensive of the food sources they find near people, which could lead to conflict,” Bowersock stated.
“When this happens, the bear cannot be relocated and has to be destroyed. A fed bear is a dead bear.”
MDC offered the following tips to avoid attracting black bears to possible food sources:
Store garbage, recyclables, and compost inside secure buildings or in bear-proof containers.Keep grills and smokers clean and store them inside.Don’t leave pet food outside.Refrain from using bird feeders in bear country from April through November. If in use, hang them at least 10 feet high and 4 feet away from any structure.Use electric fencing to keep bears away from beehives, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, orchards, and other potential food sources.Keep campsites clean and store all food, toiletries and trash in a secure vehicle or strung high between two trees. Do not keep the items inside a tent, and do not burn or bury any garbage or food waste.
Black bears are a shy, non-aggressive species. MDC recommended the following tips to avoid unwanted bear encounters:
Make noise, such as clapping, singing or talking loudly, while hiking to prevent surprising a bear.Travel in a group if possible.Keep dogs leashed.Be aware of the surroundings. Avoid the area is there is evidence of a bear, such as tracks or bear droppings.Leave bears alone.