How to Keep Bears Away

Co-authored by Scott Fitterman

Last Updated: December 21, 2024 Approved

If you live, work, or play in bear country, it's important to keep yourself safe. Strongly scented items, such as food or garbage, should be kept away from your campsite, vehicle, and home. However, if you do meet a bear, don't panic; keep yourself safe by vacating the area if you see a bear. If a bear charges, use bear pepper spray to discourage it, whether it's a black bear or a grizzly bear.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Bear-Proofing Your Home

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1
Hide your garbage with bear-proof trash cans. Bears are attracted to food smells, so they will want to dig through your garbage. A bear-proof trash can uses a locking lid to keep bears out of it. They're also sturdier than other trash cans.^{[1]
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- Another option is a locked shed to hold your garbage cans.
- Take your garbage out as close to pickup time as you can.
- Double bag your garbage to contain smells. Wash your trash cans often to decrease lingering scents. You can also pour ammonia on your garbage, which will decrease the likelihood a bear will go digging through it.
- Never mix bleach and ammonia, as it creates toxic fumes.
2
Remove bird feeders from your yard during summer months. Bears are omnivores, meaning they eat meat and plants. They have no problem going after the seeds you leave out for your local bird population. When bears are out of hibernation in the summer, they're likely to visit your yard for a tasty snack.^{[2]
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- If you do have bird feeders, hang them up high. Aim for at least 10 feet (3.0 m)off the ground with no nearby trees. Also, make sure you clean up the seed under the feeder regularly.
- If you see a bear near your bird feeders, stop putting out birdseed for at least a month.
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3
Keep fruit trees away from your home. Like birdseed, fruit can attract bears to your home, particularly if you don't harvest it in a timely manner. If you want fruit trees, don't plant them right next to your home, but instead, set them back as far as you can. Put them at the back end of your property or yard.^{[3]
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- In addition, pick fruit as soon as it ripens or even when it's slightly green. Sweep up any fruit that falls to the ground and spoils.
4
Avoid leaving pet food outside, particularly at night. Bears are attracted to any food source, including food for outdoor pets like dogs and livestock. If you must leave food outside to feed your animals, bring it in at night when bears are more likely to roam and forage.^{[4]
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- If you need to store food outside, use airtight, odorless containers.
5
Keep compost heaps and wood piles at the back end of your property. The food you place in a compost pile could attract a bear to the area, particularly strongly scented fruits like melons or pineapple. Wood piles can attract insects and small animals, which the bears will also eat.^{[5]
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- Avoid putting strongly scented fruits in your compost area, as they will attract bears if you do.
6
Clean your barbecue after each use. Burn off any remaining food particles on the grill by letting the fire flame up. Scrape the grill down with a grill brush while it's still warm. Once it's just warm to the touch, scrub down the grill with a sturdy brush, dish soap, and warm water to remove any grease left behind. Focus on the grate and the area below the grate.^{[6]
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- The residue left behind can attract bears, particularly any meat drippings at the bottom. Keep your barbecue in a locked area if possible so bears can't get to it.
7
Avoid leaving food outside near your home. If you have a meal outside, bring all the food back inside at the end of the night. Don't leave out scraps or leftovers for the birds to eat, as they can attract bears.
- Clean up around the eating area by wiping down your table and sweeping up any scraps left behind.
8
Enclose beehives and chicken pens with electric fencing. Chickens and honey are tasty snacks for bears, so they will draw them to the area. Set the enclosures for these animals away from your home, protected by electric fencing.^{[7]
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- You can purchase electric fencing kits at home improvement stores. To set up an electric fence, place a post at each corner and one every 40 feet (12 m). Add insulators and string the wire along the posts. Connect the wire to the charger to run electricity through the wire.
9
Add deterrents to your home and yard to keep bears out. Electric fencing and motion-activated lights can be enough to scare bears away from your yard. For your home, you may want to install bars or grates over the windows, as bears can smash through glass.^{[8]
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- Motion-activated water spraying systems, made for all kinds of animals, may also deter bears.
10
Close off the areas below decks and porches in the winter. These areas are the perfect place for bears to hide out, so block them off, particularly in winter. Buy wood panels large enough to cover these areas, and nail them in place. Also, block off any crawlspaces below your home by nailing wood panels across them.^{[9]
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- Similarly, bolt and reinforce doors on cabins and add heavy shutters to the windows. Bears occasionally break into summer homes to den, especially when they are sure humans have vacated the area.^{[10]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Keeping Bears Disinterested When Camping

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1
Choose a campsite away from areas that are likely to attract bears. Bears are attracted to hiking trails and salmon streams. You'll also find them near animal carcasses. Similarly, a back-country fire pit may attract bears if previous campers left food. Avoid all of these areas when you are setting up your camp.^{[11]
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- Pick an open area to set up camp, where you can spot bears and they can see you.
Separate your sleeping space and your cooking space with at least an American-sized football field. To measure it out, count 120 steps from your sleeping area. That will keep the bears as far away from your sleeping area as possible so you stay safe.^{[12]
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3
Cut down on food smells by eating canned or dried food. Food scents are one of the main draws for bears. If you cook fresh food, you're more likely to draw a bear your way. Eat foods like beef jerky, dried fruit, canned soup, and canned chicken to keep you going instead of cooking foods like hot dogs over an open fire.^{[13]
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- However, bears have a very acute sense of smell, so sticking to these types of foods will not be a deterrent by itself.
4
Store food in bear-proof containers. Choose containers specifically made for camping with bears to store your food. These containers are sturdy enough to keep bears out, and you can find them at camping and sporting good stores. They also mask scents so you're less likely to attract bears. Alternatively, use airtight containers to hide the scent of the food.^{[14]
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- Do not store food in your tent, as that may encourage a bear to come rummaging around while you're sleeping. Store food in campers, trailers, or vehicles, which bears will have more trouble getting into.^{[15]
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- If you're camping in the backwoods, lock any food away in a bear-proof container and hang it 10 feet (3.0 m) from the ground. Swing it out at least 4 feet (1.2 m) from other branches and the trunk.^{[16]
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- Similarly, if you've cooked in your clothes, change them before going to bed. Place your food-scented clothes in a bear-proof container.
5
Hide away fragrant items that may attract bears. Food is not the only thing that will attract a bear. Almost any strong smell can entice a bear to come rummaging around, including perfumes and soaps. Place items like soap, deodorant, insect repellent, and toothpastes in the same areas you keep your food.^{[17]
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- Better yet, try to leave scented items at home, and pick unscented items when possible.
6
Clean up your cooking area after you finish eating. Don't leave food you're eating lying around, as that could attract local bears. Similarly, pick up any food scraps that land around your campground, and put them in the trash.^{[18]
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- Wipe down any cooking surfaces with soapy, warm water, then rinse it off with clean water.
7
Take your food trash away from your camp before bed. When camping in a campground with others, take your trash to the campground's main trash before turning in for the night. That way, a bear will be less likely to visit your camp.^{[19]
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- Strain the food out of your dishwater before disposing of the water. Put the food bits in with your trash.
- When camping in the backwoods or back country, hang your trash from a tree along with your food. Hang it at least 10 feet (3.0 m) in the air, away from the trunk and other branches.
- Never bury or burn food garbage, as bears will find it.^{[20]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Avoiding Bears When You're Hiking

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1
Purchase a bear bag to store your snacks. A bear's sense of smell is extremely acute, and they are constantly foraging in the summer and fall months. A bear bag can help hide the scent of your food, keeping the bears at bay.
- A bear bag is made of very strong polyethylene. Place your food in a separate aluminum liner and then in the bag, which the bear can't rip into. Put the whole thing in a waterproof, airtight plastic bag to minimize scents.
2
Talk, sing, and make noise when you are out on a hike. The most dangerous bear is one that doesn't realize you're coming. If you make noise to announce your presence, they're more likely to get out of the way and leave you alone.^{[21]
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- If you don’t want to talk, carry a satellite radio and set it to a talk show.
A bear is more likely to approach an individual than a group. Groups tend to make more noise than individuals, so the bear has a chance to silently sneak away before you run into it.^{[22]
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4
Go back the other way if you see a bear in the distance. When you see a bear, back away slowly, keeping an eye on the bear as you do. Take another route, or simply hike back the way you came. If you leave it alone, it will likely leave you alone.^{[23]
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- However, it's never safe to enter an area where you see a bear. If you spot one, get out of that area.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Discouraging an Attacking Bear

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1
Stand your ground if a bear charges you. Bears run far faster than humans, and you're likely to encourage the bear to chase you if you run. Instead, wave your arms and make a lot of noise. Often, the bear will decide to turn away rather than attack.^{[24]
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- However, don't look the bear in the eye, as it may see that as a threat.
- Don't try to climb a tree. For it to work, the tree would have to be right next you, and you'd need to get at least 30 feet (9.1 m) up the tree quickly to escape the bear. Black bears will climb after you. Grizzlies are less likely to climb after you, but they may attempt it.^{[25]
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2
Employ bear spray if a bear charges at you. Bear spray is a type of pepper spray that sprays farther than an average can. Typically, it can spray up to 30 feet (9.1 m). If a bear is coming at you, spray a cloud of pepper spray between you and the bear.^{[26]
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- To use the spray, release the safety and press down on the nozzle. Spray when the bear is about 30 to 60 feet (9.1 to 18.3 m) away. You can even spray it in the bear's face if it gets close.
- Spraying takes some practice, so try it with an inert can. Practice in headwinds and crosswinds, as well as with the wind at your back.
- Keep bear spray within easy reach, such as in a holster. You won't be able to get it out of your pack in time.
- Don't spray it on yourself or your gear. As long as you don't spray it in your face, it's not dangerous. However, the smell quickly fades, and for that reason, it's not an effective deterrent.
In the unlikely event a bear does attack, curl yourself up in the fetal position and go limp. This position shields your organs, and a bear you surprised may give up once it realizes you're not a threat.^{[27]
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If playing dead hasn't given the bear incentive to leave after a few minutes, it's time to start fighting. Kick, throw rocks, use sticks, and attack with whatever you can get your hands on. You may be intimidating enough to scare the bear away.^{[28]
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Will a motion sensor light repel bears?

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Yes. Bears are highly sensitive to sudden lights and will probably be scared off.

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My neighbor has chickens. A large black bear has torn the side off the coop. The chickens are now inside the owner's house yet but the bear is looking in home windows and is on the deck. What should we do?

M Mourlam

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Contact your local wildlife officers. They may trap the bear and relocate it. Another option would be to get rid of the chickens.

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Is it okay to defend myself from bear with a gun?

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If your life is in danger, yes.

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Warnings

Don’t use ammonia balloons to deter bears. Bears can be blinded by ammonia, so balloons filled with ammonia near their food sources are extremely inhumane.

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Do not mix ammonia and bleach. This will create toxic vapors. If cleaning bins or trash cans, use one or the other, not both together.

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