He and Sara then wondered how they could discourage the bear from getting too comfortable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was exciting, it was certainly memorable,\u201d he said. But \u201cwe both knew immediately, of course, it\u2019s not a good thing for a bear to be a floor up off the ground on our deck.\u201d<\/p>\n So he turned the latch on the glass door to the deck \u2014 a sound he hoped would let the bear know that humans were nearby.<\/p>\n It worked. The bear ambled off the deck and off the property.<\/p>\n Their instincts were correct, said Jonathan Trudeau, the game mammal section leader for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n When bears come that close to a home, making enough noise to let them know a human is nearby will likely send them on their way.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have a, you know, video doorbell where you can talk through your doorbell,\u201d that can allow humans to keep their distance, while letting the bear know they should move along.<\/p>\n Trudeau said the key is alerting the bear, without alarming the bear.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re close, you don\u2019t want to startle that bear, because it will trigger that flight or fight reflex,\u201d Trudeau said. \u201cMost times, they\u2019re going to have that flight response.\u201d<\/p>\n Homeowners might be startled to find bears so close to their homes, especially in the close-in suburbs surrounding D.C.<\/p>\n \u201cMid-May is about the time we expect to see bears starting to move,\u201d Trudeau said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s out of their den at that point, so everyone\u2019s out and looking for food.\u201d<\/p>\n There is research on the movements of bears in Maryland, Trudeau said. It\u2019s being done with cooperation between the University of Maryland and Maryland\u2019s Department of Natural Resources.<\/p>\n Enos said he believes he knows what drew the young bear to his deck.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure it was probably because I neglected to bring in my birdfeeders that night,\u201d including one packed with suet \u2014 designed to attract woodpeckers, but also very appetizing to bears.<\/p>\n Trudeau said residents should \u201ccompletely remove your birdfeeders this time of year.\u201d He suggested taking in birdfeeders until November or December, when birds need the food and bears are napping.<\/p>\n Enos also posted some of the photos he got of the bear on a neighborhood list serve to let his neighbors know there is a bear in the area. And he had advice for them: \u201cWe don\u2019t want to attract them to our houses as much fun as it is to see them. It\u2019s not the best environment for the animal to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n Trudeau said if you see a bear in your neighborhood in Maryland, you can contact the Department of Natural Resources<\/a>. If it\u2019s outside business hours and you have concerns about a bear, especially if it\u2019s safety related, you can contact the Natural Resources Police<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Photo-Jun-22-2026-12-37-15-PM-e1782169132552-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>A black bear on the porch of a home in Germantown, Maryland. (Courtesy Jason Enos)<\/p>\n