Bears’ internal alarm clocks start ringing in March, with many adult male bears emerging from their dens during the month of March. Next to wake up will be juveniles of both sexes, then female bears with yearlings and solitary females. Mother bears with newborn cubs are the last to poke their noses out into the world. After not eating or drinking for several months, it’s time for water, stretching and wandering around. Soon after getting their bearings, bears start looking for food.

Read more about what bears are doing in March and then read about what people can do to help get a bear’s year off to a healthy start. See our tips below.

Now is a great time to download our free Be BearWise At-Home Checklist and make sure there’s nothing that will attract bears to your home or property. A few hours of prevention now can save you a lot of time and trouble later.

Think Like a Bear

Walk around your yard and near your home to see if there’s anything “interesting”…

• Many meals’ worth of nutrients can be found in the average family’s trash. Is your trash is safely stowed in a bear-resistant container or stored inside a bear-resistant locked building until the morning of pick up?
• Bird feeders full of nutritious birdseed are one of the top things that  attract bears to homes, so don’t take any chances. Bring your bird feeders in at night, or better yet, opt for feeder-free methods that will help you attract even more birds and help keep bears wild. Download our free Attract Birds, Not Bears Bulletin for lots of ideas.
• Don’t leave food, pet food, or anything else with an odor on your screened-in porch or deck overnight or inside a vehicle parked outside.
• Pet food is loaded with calories. Feed pets indoors. Or if you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions, remove food dishes as soon as pets have eaten and clean up any mess.
• Chickens and small livestock can be very tempting to a hungry bear. Keep newborns safe and make sure you protect your animals in a bear-resistant building, enclosure or behind an electric fence.

For more about being BearWise at home, keeping bears away from homes, vehicles and property and unexpected things that might attract bears, download our free Be BearWise At-Home Checklist. And do the neighborhood a favor, and share this information.

Thanks for helping keep bears out in the wild and away from homes and neighborhoods.