Our goal is to keep bears wild to prevent incidents and property damage that result in bears having to be shot. While the term "euthanize" is often used, it is not really accurate. Bears that are shot as "nuisances" are not being relieved of any pain. Rather, they have had the misfortune of learning behaviors that make them unsafe. This usually results from human actions – whether conscious or not – that conditions them to us and our food sources.
The guidance for keeping bears wild distills to this: eliminate access to human food sources and odors that attract bears.
Bears are omnivores, and about 90% of their wild diet consists of plants, nuts, berries, and insects. When they do eat meat in the wild, it is usually sick or injured animals or scavenged from ones already dead.
We work with the local warden and bear biologist at the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. They sent us a summary of the Mad River Valley's 2024 bear incident reports. They were busy addressing the 100 incidents phoned in or reported online. We provide some tips below based on those reports.
Take steps now to bear-proof your food sources. Spring is imminent and the bears will emerge from hibernation in the next few weeks.
They have not eaten for three months. They are very hungry. If they survived winter, they have lost 40%-50% of their body weight. Sows who gave birth to chipmunk-sized young in February have nursed their cubs. They all are famished. They will work hard to find natural foods. Plants and insects will become more plentiful as the warm weather proceeds.
In the meantime, it is critical that they be kept away from human-sourced foods. Loaded with calories, these are huge temptations. What takes a bear hours or days to consume in the wild takes minutes from human sources.
But it is true: "a fed bear is a dead bear."
Do not feed bears – deliberately or not. Once conditioned to our sources, they become "nuisances" that often must be killed. Bears have very strong noses and memories. Once they find a source, they will return.
And they will return not just to your property, but to similar sources on your neighbors' property. Your neighbors' birdfeeder or unsecured trash can or dumpster looks like yours. Sows will teach their cubs to look in the same kinds of places where she found food, multiplying the problem.
By far, the most common attractants are unsecured trash (cans, dumpsters, accessible sheds, garages). Trash prompted about half The Valley's 2024 bear reports. It was usually unsecured, often left outside in cans or dumpsters.
For odors from trash in a shed or garage secure the building. If it has odors, douse a rag in ammonia and leave it on top. Bears dislike this smell. If you have to put trash outside on trash day, do it that morning (not the night before). Use a bear-proof container. If nothing else, tie a rag to the top doused with ammonia.
Birdfeeders are huge attractants. This may seem inconceivable – bird seed?! But seed is very high in calories: a large feeder can hold 10,000 calories. Take down feeders now. Put them back up in December. Sweep or rake away the winter-accumulated seed under them.
Chicken coops and honey bee boxes must be protected by electric fences. Otherwise bears will enter them, attracted by feed, chickens, honey, and insects. There were reports of over 15 chicken/duck/bee incidents in 2024, with bee boxes destroyed and chickens killed. This is a high incident-rate given the relatively small number of home apiaries and coops. If you have these, take the necessary steps to protect them.
Close and lock building doors and first floor windows. Bears can open lever handles.
On cars, even in hot weather, fully close the windows. Bears easily pull out those left open even just a crack.
Critically: lock all car doors. In 2024, 25% of Valley bear incident reports involved car entries. Those reporting commented on the ease of some bears opening car doors and that they knew where to look once inside. There were no reports of any bear entering closed and locked cars.
The Mad River Valley Bear Initiative is a local volunteer group that raises awareness about the bears that live around us in this community. We are made up of folks from the five towns in our watershed: Warren, Waitsfield, Fayston, Duxbury, and Moretown.
Look on our website for other tips and resources: https://MRVBears.org. And, importantly: share this information with friends and neighbors.
