Preguntas Frecuentes – Español
What can I do to protect my property from bears?
The most effective protection is installing an electrical deterrent (“bear wire”) system on your home. These low-voltage systems run wires across doors, windows, and crawlspace openings. If a bear tries to enter, they receive a quick shock—enough to startle and deter them, but not enough to cause harm. Many systems can also include electrified mats that deliver the same effect when stepped on. For recommended contractors, see the Electric Home Protection page under the Info tab, or contact us. Please note that the shock is not dangerous, and the mats can be stepped on with rubber-soled shoes. Encourage your kids and dogs to stay away from wires and mats – though the shock will give them quite a fright, it will not hurt them!
You can also use industrial-strength ammonia as a scent deterrent. You can buy this from any hardware store – do not use scented grocery store ammonia. Pour an inch or two deep into bowls or Tupperware containers and place them just inside entry points (for example, on windowsills). The strong odor can mask indoor attractants and make a bear less likely to enter.
Other tools include motion-activated alarms like the Rex Barking Dog device which plays the sound of a barking dog when a bear approaches. This works well for some bears, but not all. Again, the speaker must be placed inside your home, not outside.
In the summer months, nearly all home entries happen through open or unlocked windows or doors. Make sure windows and doors are closed and locked whenever you’re not in the room. Screens do not keep bears out.
Finally, any time you see a bear approach your home or another, make it clear to him that he is not welcome on your property! See “How do I haze a bear?” below.
Should I leave my car locked or unlocked in bear country?
Lock your vehicle! Though some believe cars should be left unlocked in bear country because a bear might break a window to enter, this is comparatively incredibly rare—especially if no attractants are left inside. Far more often, bears will simply test the handles of every car they pass in case one is unlocked. Once inside, they may rip into seats or dashboards in search of the crumbs we inevitably leave behind. Sometimes the door closes behind them, they panic, and can total a car with the damage they cause to the interior.
Ensure all windows are fully rolled up—cracked windows are much easier for bears to break. Remove all attractants from your vehicle (gum wrappers, granola bars, chapstick, etc.). You may leave an open container of industrial-strength ammonia on the driver’s seat to mask lingering odors, but be sure to secure the lid before driving. Vehicles with canvas convertible tops are especially vulnerable, so removing attractants and using ammonia is particularly important.
How do I protect my mobile home from bears, if I must keep food in it?
Mobile homes can be tricky to protect, but you might consider purchasing a portable bear wire system, such as these:
Gallagher Bear Protection Fencing Kit
Are bears relocated?
There is no relocation program in the state of California. In Nevada, bears are only very rarely relocated, and when they are, it is usually directly into the hunting zone. Relocation doesn’t tend to work because bears are territorial and will travel hundreds of miles to return to the area they were removed from—or die trying.
Any bear that is “removed” by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and most removed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), are killed. This is why it’s essential that we all do our part to prevent bears from associating human areas with food, so they don’t end up in situations where state agencies decide “removal” is necessary.
How do I haze a bear?
First, make sure the bear has a clear escape route—away from you, your home, and any busy roads or people. Then assert your dominance: be the bigger bear! Your voice is your most powerful tool. Bears respond best to sounds that come naturally from our bodies, so yell louder and more aggressively than you ever have. The sound of a taser can also work well. Noisemakers can help, but shouting, clapping, and stomping are usually most effective. Please note that Tahoe bears have become largely immune to the sound of banging pots and pans or boat horns.
Noise combined with the physical reinforcement of a nonlethal projectile communicates to a bear that this is your territory. A paintball gun is a good option; the BEAR League uses biodegradable, colorless oil- or powder-filled pellets. Throwing pinecones or small rocks can also work—just avoid aiming for the face, and never shoot cubs. Please do not use BB guns – those pellets can lodge in a bear’s organs and joints and cause a slow, painful death.
How do I get a bear out of my home?
First, make your presence known. Yell firmly and make as much noise as you can. This applies whether you are already inside the home or outside; in the latter case, try banging on windows and yelling. Often, bears will leave as soon as they hear you.
If the bear does not leave right away, try to determine how the bear entered and be sure you do not place yourself between the bear and the exit—bears usually leave through the same opening they used to enter. Give the bear plenty of space and a clear escape route, and continue using the hazing tactics described above until the bear exits.
If you have dogs, make sure they are secured inside and do not chase or harass the bear, as this can escalate the situation. Once the bear has left, take time to identify and secure any attractants that may have drawn the bear inside to help prevent a repeat visit.
I was charged by a bear! Is this normal?
Black bears may huff, stomp, or even bluff charge when they feel threatened. Sometimes they’ll run full speed at a person they perceive as a threat, then stop short and stomp the ground. The key word here is “bluff.” BEAR League staff and volunteers have collectively been bluff charged thousands of times, and not one bear has ever made contact with any of us. It’s simply an intimidation tactic—and it works! But you must stand your ground, make yourself big, and yell aggressively.
When does the BEAR League lend out bear mats?
If a door or window has been broken by a bear and the bear accessed food, he or she will likely return. We are happy to lend you one electrified mat to place in front of that door or window so that when the bear comes back—usually through the same entrance—they will step on it, be deterred, and form a negative association with your home. You may borrow the mat for one to two weeks while you implement a permanent solution, ideally having bear wires installed on your home. Please note that you must provide a power source for the mat.
Do Tahoe bears hibernate?
Yes! We estimate that at least 80% of bears in Tahoe hibernate for at least part of the winter. All cubs are born in January, so pregnant mothers typically settle into a den by early December. Bears hibernate mainly because natural food is scarce in winter, but in areas with humans, food is often available year-round.
Increasingly, bears are discovering that the dry, cozy spaces beneath our homes make ideal dens. Much of BEAR League’s winter work focuses on safely evicting bears from crawl spaces, as they can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage to ductwork and other structures. During our founding years, we evicted one or two bears a year from crawl spaces; now, we receive hundreds of calls each year about bears who may have taken up residence, and that number continues to grow.
To prevent this, secure your crawl space—ideally with electric wiring—before a bear moves in. Bears have also been known to use crawl spaces as summer day beds, so winter isn’t the only time to stay vigilant. Please also note that when we check under houses for bears, we often find remnants of pest poisons such as D-Con, which are a very common bear attractant!
What are bears attracted to?
Bears have an unimaginably strong sense of smell – over 2000 times stronger than ours – and are investigative, opportunistic omnivores. This means that anything that might smell like food to them can be an attractant! Bears can smell through walls and into your fridge, freezer or pantry, even through unopened cans and bottles, to the bounty we keep inside our homes.
Common attractants include all human food and food-related items, as well as soaps, toothpaste, and other toiletries or cleaning supplies; citronella products; spices like pepper or curry; sugar or honey; beer, wine or other alcohol; ice cream and other frozen foods; plant fertilizers or pesticides/herbicides; compost piles and vegetable gardens; birdseed and hummingbird feeders; pet food; barbecue grease; empty trash or recycling cans; Christmas decorations that may have a scent; fruit- and nut-bearing trees; hot tub covers and other equipment containing formaldehyde; small or young livestock; apiaries; bear spray that has settled; and more.
Pest poisons such as D-Con send out a powerful beacon of scent, attracting more rodents than you can kill, as well as bears! These poisons can also kill other wildlife when small predators consume poisoned rodents. While ingestion may not kill an adult bear, it can be fatal to cubs, either through direct consumption or through their mother’s milk.
How do I manage having a dog in bear country?
Dogs can bring out a higher level of reactivity from bears. Dogs may provoke bears by barking, chasing, or approaching them, which can trigger a defensive response—especially if a bear feels threatened, cornered, or is protecting food or cubs.
It is important to keep your dog on a leash while in bear country. When kept on a short leash or secured inside a home, dogs can help deter bears with their barking and alert homeowners to a bear’s presence. Unleashed dogs, however, may charge a bear and then run back to their owner with the bear following close behind, or place themselves at risk of serious injury if they get too close.