Bear Trouble

[ultrarunner]

Maybe true; however, it's not you individually to blame. That area has many unoccupied cabins. Hence, "Hank the Tank" and his other bear friends have had a long history of being tempted into unoccupied cabins. Many of your neighbors may not be as careful as you about removing food when they leave.

Recent fires are reported to be related to the uptick of bear activity. The nearby Caldor fire destroyed huge tracts of land-- land that used to support all kinds of wildlife. With nothing left to eat in those regions, they migrate elsewhere.

Our North CA property has 7 black bears-- based on trail camera pix. They almost never come near the residence. Only once, about 4 years ago, did one try to "test" our front door. But our elderly neighbors vacated their home, and within a month or two it was breached by a bear.

We have a dog that we walk frequently in the areas immediately surrounding the residence. He's a male so he likes to mark things-- I think that helps a lot with discouraging bear activity.

I didn’t think about Caldoor… I was there at Echo Lake the week the fire ravaged… all was calm but devastation in a few days.

At the present rate a little extrapolation could see a in town population of hundreds of bears as by outward appearance they are growing larger and healthier… many foregoing winter hibernation.

I can only speak for the immediate retired year rounders… the subdivision with street lights and mailboxes had hundreds of homes… all on city sewer and almost all on natural gas.

As for as occupying the rules are no more short term less than 6 month rentals…

So many cabins are unoccupied for longer periods.

We never rented but did have friends stay and they were asked if the owned and said no, our good friends are letting us spend the week… which is 100% true…

 

[Rockbadchild]

We up north place spike mats when we leave from our cabin (plywood with 4 or 3 inch nails at every inch intervals) at the bottom of every windows and doors it is safe for the human foot but works really well for bears ... and if you are in the cabin a fire arm works really well, nobody will prosecute you to protect your life ... I am not saying shooting it a 1/4 mile away but if you can justified that your life was at risk you are good to go.

 

[plowhog]

if you are in the cabin a fire arm works really well,

It's personal preference, but I'd strongly prefer bear spray to a firearm if you could choose only one.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

A good case for shoot, shovel, and shut up. I've petted a few bears and mountain lions before, before they got stiff ...

 

[2manyrocks]

Your front door was from an era where people used to leave their doors unlocked. Thin luan skin.

You need a modern steel clad door properly installed.

 

[ultrarunner]

Law enforcement said it does not condone spike strips but would not answer when I asked if legal and instead referred me to Fish and Game which is closed weekends.

So if Fish and Game is the responding agency as I was told better hope the Bears don’t know the office is closed nights and weekends.

Again, I have never even had a parking ticket, volunteer on Earthday, for 21 years I have adopted a creek and spend my own time hauling out and disposing of trash dumped into the creek and have never hunted…

Bear breaks into homes, eludes capture around Lake Tahoe | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Hank the Tank, a 500-pound black bear, has damaged more than 30 properties around Lake Tahoe.

www.reviewjournal.com

 

[repete]

Why would it be a problem to turn off the propane?

 

[ultrarunner]

Your front door was from an era where people used to leave their doors unlocked. Thin luan skin.

You need a modern steel clad door properly installed.

We have steel commercial doors at the hospital that I am always replacing at least one a year from break-in damaged.

I realize a bear isn’t using a pry bar or tire iron but the officer said a locked car is zero detergent and door skins peeled back like a can opener and then collapsed?

 

[ultrarunner]

Why would it be a problem to turn off the propane?

Turning on the propane requires a city safety check of all gas fired appliances…

So all is good if you leave on and you can turn off but it’s a problem for home owner to turn on.

40+ years we left on year round with furnace set at 40 degrees with never a plumbing issue.

Now we don’t and last year had our first pipe burst… nephew went up for New Year and when water turned on in Spring found burst pipe at angle stop under bathroom sink.

 

[Rockbadchild]

It's personal preference, but I'd strongly prefer bear spray to a firearm if you could choose only one.

Agree to each their own ... I am not afraid of bear I know they are more afraid of me that I am of them so don't have a fire arm where ever I go but I certainly don't have any bear spray although they have their place, inside a cabin is not one of them and if you get yourself between a sow and her cub bear spray wont save your life...

 

[ultrarunner]

Learning a lot about bears on this thread…

The retired 59 year resident year round neighbor said animals sense when you mean them harm and fear…

He believes interfering with a bear doing its thing is one way to get yourself hurt… and having a firearm is a sure way to get someone hurt and probably many think along the same lines in Tahoe.

The bear was in the bedroom… the cabin is small with 9x12 bedrooms so it’s not like a person could escape if cornered.

 

[repete]

Turning on the propane requires a city safety check of all gas fired appliances…

So all is good if you leave on and you can turn off but it’s a problem for home owner to turn on.

40+ years we left on year round with furnace set at 40 degrees with never a plumbing issue.

Now we don’t and last year had our first pipe burst… nephew went up for New Year and when water turned on in Spring found burst pipe at angle stop under bathroom sink.

Won't be long before we need the government's permission to come in our front doors.... Ya know, just in case...

 

[2manyrocks]

A steel clad door is still your best affordable option. Have you found anything better at your hospital?

 

[Rockbadchild]

If it can't go through the door it will go through the window if it cant go through the window it will go through the wall ... if he smell food it will go in ...

 

[ultrarunner]

A steel clad door is still your best affordable option. Have you found anything better at your hospital?

What we find the best is our alarm system that monitors all perimeter doors and outside enclosures for medical waste, trash and recycle.

Each opening is registered and after hours for areas such as loading dock etc. goes to alarm with security text notification plus we now have a roving third party patrol that does several overnight sweeps.

In short have found no door or steel enclosure that cannot be overcome with enough leverage or a harbor freight cordless tool...hardened steal no match for a $1 cutoff wheel...

Most recent find yesterday outside back clinic closed on weekends...

Locals shoot up and leave waste behind... police say not a criminal matter and there you have it...

 

[ultrarunner]

If it can't go through the door it will go through the window if it cant go through the window it will go through the wall ... if he smell food it will go in ...

Yes... Short of filled concrete block construction and fortified commercial shutters I've been told all else is fair game

One Alaska village have trained bears to only feed at the garbage site so they leave village alone and some kind of birth control used?

 

[Rockbadchild]

Yes... Short of filled concrete block construction and fortified commercial shutters I've been told all else is fair game

One Alaska village have trained bears to only feed at the garbage site so they leave village alone and some kind of birth control used?

for sure ...

birth control ?? like killing the ones who enter village ...

 

[bcp]

They hired a guy to put "protection" on the male bears.

He hasn't reported back yet, so they don't know if it is working.

Bruce

 

[2manyrocks]

Catch the bear. Chain the bear at the entrance to the back door of the clinic.

 

[Joel/ak]

Once a bear gets used to humans it's a threat. I'd make it disappear.

I've shot more than 1 problem bear of course AK is a little bit more lenient towards the human.