Post by Steve Sutton on Mar 29, 2010 10:39:33 GMT -5
A BEAR MANAGER'S ADVICE
By Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Manager
When it comes to bears, especially grizzly bears, the best garbage containment system is to keep garbage indoors.
"I recommend that folks store garbage, especially wet garbage that is food-related, within an enclosed building," said Jamie Jonkel, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear manager in Missoula.
Jonkel said keeping garbage indoors reduces the smell when garbage overflows the container.
If you have no choice but to store garbage outside, Jonkel recommends keeping sorted wet garbage, such as packaging from meat products, coffee grounds and vegetable scraps, double bagged in a closed container.
"Only take garbage out for pick up on the morning of garbage day or haul it to the dump with the nonfood garbage," Jonkel said. "Garbage left out over night is a big target for a bear. Even under the cover of darkness, a bear will find it easily."
Jonkel also advised that even nonfood garbage stored outside may be visually stimulating to conditioned bears.
"In other words, if your neighbors are not running a tight ship, you may have your nonfood cans tipped over by bears on occasion," he said.
Jonkel's second choice for storing garbage is a four-sided stout bear-resistant cage structure with a roof and locking doors that encapsulate the garbage cans or dumpsters.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee has a list of certified bear-resistant products, including fencing systems, waste receptacles, coolers, dry boxes and camping gear on its Web site. Use the search words Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
Always make sure local garbage carriers approve, and will work with, any bear-resistant products that you purchase or build.
The Living With Predators resource guide produced by the Living with Wildlife Foundation in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks also describes these products at www.lwwf.org/.
Some U.S. Forest Service offices in western Montana will also inspect containers built for personal use by private property owners.
A guide to living and recreating in bear country is available on the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov and click on Wild Things and Living With Wildlife to find the FWP Be Bear Aware page.
By Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Manager
When it comes to bears, especially grizzly bears, the best garbage containment system is to keep garbage indoors.
"I recommend that folks store garbage, especially wet garbage that is food-related, within an enclosed building," said Jamie Jonkel, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear manager in Missoula.
Jonkel said keeping garbage indoors reduces the smell when garbage overflows the container.
If you have no choice but to store garbage outside, Jonkel recommends keeping sorted wet garbage, such as packaging from meat products, coffee grounds and vegetable scraps, double bagged in a closed container.
"Only take garbage out for pick up on the morning of garbage day or haul it to the dump with the nonfood garbage," Jonkel said. "Garbage left out over night is a big target for a bear. Even under the cover of darkness, a bear will find it easily."
Jonkel also advised that even nonfood garbage stored outside may be visually stimulating to conditioned bears.
"In other words, if your neighbors are not running a tight ship, you may have your nonfood cans tipped over by bears on occasion," he said.
Jonkel's second choice for storing garbage is a four-sided stout bear-resistant cage structure with a roof and locking doors that encapsulate the garbage cans or dumpsters.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee has a list of certified bear-resistant products, including fencing systems, waste receptacles, coolers, dry boxes and camping gear on its Web site. Use the search words Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
Always make sure local garbage carriers approve, and will work with, any bear-resistant products that you purchase or build.
The Living With Predators resource guide produced by the Living with Wildlife Foundation in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks also describes these products at www.lwwf.org/.
Some U.S. Forest Service offices in western Montana will also inspect containers built for personal use by private property owners.
A guide to living and recreating in bear country is available on the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov and click on Wild Things and Living With Wildlife to find the FWP Be Bear Aware page.