Be BearWise

Be BearWise®

Bears will readily utilize human-created food sources and repeat access can make bears bolder. This can lead to an increase in human-bear conflicts around homes and residential areas, especially when natural food sources are scarce. Feeding bears intentionally is illegal.

DEC has partnered with BearWise, a national program of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, to provide reliable information and useful resources that help people live responsibly with black bears. The BearWise educational campaign was developed by bear biologists and is supported by state wildlife agencies to promote the delivery of standardized messaging to the public. Learn how to live responsibly with black bears by practicing the BearWise basics at home and BearWise safety tips when recreating outdoors.

At-Home BearWise Basics

• Avoiding human-bear conflicts begins with prevention. By following the at-home BearWise basics, you can help reduce the likelihood of human-bear conflict in your backyard.
• Never feed or approach bears
• Secure food, garbage and recycling
• Remove bird feeders when bears are active
• Never leave pet food outdoors
• Clean and store grills and smokers
• Alert neighbors to bear activity

BearWise Safety Tips

Although black bears have a natural fear of humans, they can act or become defensive if surprised, approached, or become emboldened by human food sources. Follow these BearWise safety tips to help keep yourself, pets, livestock, apiaries, and bears safe in bear country.

• What to do and how to behave if you see a bear
• How to keep bears out of homes and businesses
• How to keep your dog safe in bear country
• How to hike, camp, and fish safely in bear country
• How to hunt safely in bear country
• How to have a bear-safe vacation
• How to protect your livestock, bees, crops, and orchards from bears
• How and when to use bear spray

How and When to Use a Bear-Resistant Canister

Using a bear-resistant canister is the most effective way to prevent bears from becoming emboldened to obtain food from back-country campers. In the Adirondack Park, overnight campers in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area are required by regulation to use a bear-resistant canister between April 1st and November 20th. DEC recommends using a bear-resistant canister whenever primitive camping in bear country. Tested and approved bear-resistant canisters can be purchased or rented from many local, national, and web-based outdoor recreation retailers.

All scented items that could attract a bear, including food, toiletries, medication, garbage, and pet food, should be stored in the bear-resistant canister. Canisters are not watertight and do not float. They should be kept on level ground at least 100 feet from your campsite and cooking area by creating a camping triangle.

How DEC Handles Human-Bear Conflicts

Roughly 80% of human-bear conflicts are resolved with some simple advice on how to follow the BearWise basics. However, some situations require DEC to take additional action. These situations include bears causing serious property damage, entering homes or buildings, or a bear that's in an urban/suburban area and cannot escape. DEC's first priority in addressing human-bear conflicts is public safety. DEC evaluates every scenario to determine the severity of the situation and may take one or more of the following steps:

• DEC assesses the situation to ensure the BearWise basics are being followed. If not, then information on how to begin practicing the BearWise basics is provided.
• If the BearWise basics are already being followed, DEC may decide to negatively condition the bear. The bear will be hazed in hopes of teaching the bear that obtaining food near humans is unacceptable. DEC tags any bears that it handles so that they can be readily identified if encountered in the future. This data influences future decisions, should a bear have further encounters with people.
• DEC may trap and euthanize bears that present a clear threat to public safety.

DEC does not relocate or place bears at animal sanctuaries. A relocated bear will often travel great distances to return to where it was originally captured. If it can't find its way back, it will often seek out new human food sources in the area where it was released. Further, zoos and sanctuaries usually have too many bears already and will not accept more.

DEC's Black Bear Response Manual (PDF) outlines the response alternatives that DEC may take to address various human-bear conflicts.

If you are experiencing a human-bear conflict, even after following the BearWise basics, contact your regional DEC wildlife office for guidance/assistance.

Be BearWise. Keep bears wild. Keep people safe.