{"id":354170,"date":"2025-12-17T13:51:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/354170\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T13:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:51:10","slug":"theres-a-bear-hibernating-underneath-your-deck-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/354170\/","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s a Bear Hibernating Underneath Your Deck. Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When animals<\/a> choose your property as their new home, the situation can become frightening and moreover costly for homeowners.<\/p>\n

This is precisely <\/a>what happened to a Colorado Springs, CO<\/a>, family when a 200-pound black bear <\/a>chose their deck as its hibernation site, according to KRDO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the bear had been wandering around their property for some time, to the awe of the family\u2019s children, it was never threatening. That is, until it had established \u201ca permanent nesting spot, prompting them to worry that the animal had chosen their deck as her hibernation den for the winter,\u201d according to KRDO.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, wildlife ecologist<\/a> and co-host of the show “Mutual of Omaha\u2019s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild<\/a>,” explains that when a bear chooses a space under a deck or porch to hibernate, it\u2019s usually because the location feels safe, quiet, and insulated, not because the bear is trying to interact with people.<\/p>\n

\u201cBears don\u2019t exhibit den site fidelity, meaning they don\u2019t use the same den year after year. So having a bear one year doesn\u2019t mean your property will have a bear there each winter season. Still, this is a situation homeowners should take seriously and handle carefully,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She added that while such encounters can be unsettling, they\u2019re also a reminder that we share landscapes with wildlife.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe right precautions, education, and assistance from wildlife professionals can help humans and bears safely coexist,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

What to do: safety precautions and relocation protocols<\/p>\n

Ashey Hobbs, BearWise<\/a> coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, recommends regular inspections of your property to check for potential food sources, den sites, and other attractants. BearWise is a national program of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies that educates and informs on how to live responsibly with black bears.<\/p>\n

Hobbs added that dark, quiet places such as crawl spaces or brush piles can be attractive den sites for bears, so it\u2019s essential to secure any access points and clear brush.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour state wildlife agency likely has recommendations on its website on how to coexist with a variety of local wildlife. Relocation of wildlife is handled on a state-by-state basis. In North Carolina, we don\u2019t relocate bears, but we do provide effective guidance and\/or assistance to get a bear to relocate on its own,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Wynn-Grant notes that each state has a local wildlife protection agency with trained researchers and biologists who act in the best interests of human-bear coexistence. These professionals are trained to assess whether the bear can be safely encouraged to move on or whether relocation is necessary, she noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many cases, wildlife officials will monitor the bear and determine the least stressful option, for both the animal and the homeowner, based on the bear\u2019s condition, the time of year, and local regulations,\u201d she said, adding that relocation is not always the default solution, especially in late fall or winter, because moving a bear during hibernation can reduce its chance of survival.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A female black bear gets cozy under the deck of a house in Meyers, CA. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez\/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

What to do if wildlife tries to hibernate or shelter on your property?<\/p>\n

Kevin Lacilla, president of Bearicuda<\/a>, a maker of bear-resistant enclosures, trash cans, dumpsters, and food storage lockers, stressed that if you suspect an animal is living or attempting to hibernate under your deck, do not try to investigate, block the opening, or scare it away yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis can be extremely dangerous, particularly with bears, which may react defensively if startled or cornered,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Bears and other large wildlife can become “unpredictable when disturbed, particularly when entering or already in hibernation, so homeowners should maintain distance, secure pets and children indoors, and contact local wildlife authorities immediately,” said veterinarian Kathryn Dench, a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and chief scientific adviser at natural health care line Paw Origins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cProfessionals are trained to assess whether the animal is denned, injured, or simply sheltering temporarily, which determines the safest next step,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Preventive steps to keep animals away<\/p>\n

Experts agreed that a wild animal situation is more common than many homeowners realize, especially in areas where human development overlaps with habitat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, it\u2019s very rare for denning bears to pose a threat to public safety. Other wildlife species, such as groundhogs, squirrels, and raccoons, are much more commonly found using human structures for shelter,\u201d Hobbs said.<\/p>\n

As a homeowner, educate yourself on your region-specific wildlife. For instance, depending on where you live, you may encounter skunks, raccoons, foxes, badgers, and even porcupines seeking shelter\u2014or you might find something with bigger teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar behavior is seen with alligators under docks in warmer climates or seals resting under coastal structures. The pattern is the same: Animals choose spaces that mimic natural shelter,\u201d said Dench.<\/p>\n

As such, prevention is key, and there are several long-term deterrence measures.<\/p>\n

Dean Bennett, president of Dean Bennett Design & Construction<\/a> in Castle Rock, CO<\/a>, offered several tips, such as eliminating\u00a0piles of wood in your yard.<\/p>\n

He also recommended not leaving old cars or appliances on your property, as they create perfect homes for all kinds of animals.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a chimney, make sure you have a cap on it. Trim trees and overhanging branches. Otherwise, you\u2019re giving animals easy access to your roof. Cut back vegetation, too, to eliminate places for animals to hide,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Lacilla also suggested installing heavy-gauge steel or wildlife-rated fencing around the base of decks; burying barriers several inches below grade to prevent digging;\u00a0and eliminating attractants such as unsecured garbage, compost, and bird feeders.<\/p>\n

In addition, using motion-activated lighting or wildlife deterrent systems and regularly inspecting the perimeter of your home, especially in the fall, can help.<\/p>\n

He also recommends that homeowners don\u2019t wait for damage to occur, as once an animal has settled in, removal becomes more complicated, and stresses the importance of understanding local wildlife laws before taking action.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiving near wildlife is part of life in many beautiful rural and mountain regions. With proper precautions and professional support, conflicts can be managed safely and humanely,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When animals choose your property as their new home, the situation can become frightening and moreover costly for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":354171,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[16405,39381,25313,38346,79,176019,201,138541,176018],"class_list":["post-354170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-black-bears","tag-hibernation","tag-homeowners","tag-north-carolina-wildlife-resources-commission","tag-science","tag-state-wildlife-agency","tag-wildlife","tag-wildlife-ecologist","tag-wildlife-professionals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/354171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=354170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=354170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}