Fish and Game advises on bear safety to prevent conflicts in Idaho communities

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — As Idaho’s bears emerge from hibernation, Fish and Game reminds residents and visitors to be ‘Bear Aware’ and take precautions to avoid attracting bears to homes, campsites and communities.

Fish and Game recommends the following steps to avoid conflicts between humans and bears:

Living in Bear Country

Secure garbage in bear-resistant containers or store it indoors or in a hard-sided, locked building until the morning of pickup.Remove bird feeders or only use them when bears are hibernating (November–March).Store pet food and livestock feed inside or in a hard-sided, locked building. Clean up any spilled food.Keep BBQ grills clean and store them in a secure location.Protect livestock, beehives, fruit trees, and compost with electric fencing.

Campers

Keep food and anything with a scent out of tents.Dispose of garbage in provided containers. Otherwise, take it with you and dispose of it properly elsewhere. Do not bury or burn garbage.Properly store unattended food and anything else with a scent. Food storage options include bear boxes, hard-sided vehicles like cars, trucks and RVs, certified bear-resistant containers, and electric fencing depending on local regulations and the model or configuration of the fence.

Hikers

Carry bear spray and know how to use it.Hike in groups of three or more people. Avoid hiking after dark, or at dawn or dusk, when bears are most active. Use extra caution in places with limited visibility or hearing, such as bushy areas near streams.Be alert. See the bear before you surprise it. Watch for fresh tracks, scat and feeding sites (signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn-up logs, ripped-open ant hills).Make noise. When hiking, periodically yell “Hey bear!” to alert bears to your presence, especially when walking through dense vegetation and blind spots, traveling upwind, near loud streams or on windy days. Avoid thick brush whenever possible. Bears often use the same trails as hikers and are attracted to food sources like berry patches or carcasses.View and photograph all wildlife from a distance. You should never come closer than 100 yards to a bear.