13 replies to this topic

[hawkhenries]

With the poor lighting I could "bearly" make out our night time guest at the feeder...

[sailormom64]

The image isn't showing up for me, I have had some image problems today though.

[hawkhenries]

I'm able to see it on my screen??? Don't understand why computers do what they do

[Clip]

Cool!

[cwj2323]

I see it alright and oh my! Will you be keeping your feeders in now?

[hawkhenries]

I'm of two minds regarding keeping the feeders in now ~ I would like to continue feeding the birds in fact they are out there right now looking. I know if I fill the feeder the bear will be back tonight and consume all the food at once...seed is rather expensive!!
I love having the bear around. They always come at this time of year and their presence is felt til (at the feeders and the transferstation (dump) until there is more natural things for them to eat. Gee I guess I am more undecided than I realized....

Maybe I should put up a feeder specifically for the bear. Think this would keep it away from the one for the birds???................................NOPE!!!

[cwj2323]

Would it be too inconvenient to bring in the feeders each night? Oh, it is so hard to watch the birds looking for food... We are slowly bringing out the feeders after the big clean yesterday morning.

I don't have the quandary that you do, there's no bears around here.

[hawkhenries]

In the past I tried taking the feeder down at night but not diligently so the bear(s) came anyway. We really like having them visit though last year one big male was determined to get some seed. We keep the seed in our mudroom in a container with a lid. Well one night this male broke in the door grabbed the container with 20lbs black oil seed and sat on our deck enjoying himself. When he returned the next evening I decided I would scare him away by stomping the floor and grunting. HA~with only a thin pane of glass between us he looked at me (almost could hear him snickering) and proceeded to show me how to scare something. I threw my wife between me and the bear ...just kidding. after the bear returned a few times I began to feel it was unsafe for all involved so we had him trapped and relocated.

A lot of folks will stop feeding at this time of year until there is plenty of natural foods for the bears. Once more fruits and berries are available they usually don't return to the feeders til fall...

[sailormom64]

Oh my, I can see the picture now! I bring my feeders in at night, just because the squirrels must wake up and start feeding before birds do and the squirrels will empty my feeders. I even have squirrel baffles but it doesn't baffle my squirrels! My neighbor feeds the squirrels but I don't like to. About 10 years ago we had a squirrel invasion in the house we lived in then, they chewed right through the house right under the roof and were nesting in our attic and what a disaster that was! But I am glad I only have to worry about squirrels and not bears, omg I can't imagine how scary that would be!

[Newonlooker]

Gorgeous bear, but quite a quandry...

[dklucius]

i'm on the edge of bear country here and have had several come thru. to start with my feeders were on a horizontal branch about 6 1/2 foot from the ground. the larger bear reach up and pulled several down. So i went out and ran a wire from the tree across an open area to the eaves of the back porch and the feeders are about 9 foot from the ground. so far since then they have not been got to. but a bear did tear up some tubs and pots i had on the ground with veggies and tomatoes in them. i have a double screen door and metal door on the back porch. and had no problems with that. a couple of neighbors have had their portable trash cans tipped over and trash scattered.

[hawkhenries]

Haven't put seed in the feeder (which is on the ground) for a couple days now and as we would expect the bear has not been around. I left the feeder on the ground so that if she returned she would see it as it was left and maybe not return another time. I'll test it out soon....
The feeder is suspended by stainless steel wire over a very high branch. This girl really could not reach the feeder but she knew enough to grab the wire where it was attached to the tree and pull on it till the feeder came down ~ SMART!!

[spookyjimjams]

There is a saying:

A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR

Never intentionally feed a bear in your yard. Bring your feeders in at night. This bear will only get more brazen and eventually will start becoming a problem to either you or others in the area. It will then be shot.

[threeofhardts]

That's some guest you've got there. I find myself wishing I could see a bear wander through the backyard, just once. There's actually been at least one spotted about 40 miles east of me in Greenville, MI...a critter seldom seen in the lower peninsula.

http://www.woodtv.co...d-in-greenville

I bring my feeders in every night because of the raccoons. They are determined and have been a nuisance since I've lived here. Including coming in through the pet door and helping themselves to the kibbles and bits!