Originally Posted by
RotGrub
The area we're in is very dry, there is no obvious food as far as I can see. I know the deer and at least one bob cat is drinking from our supply tanks. Never any bears or cougar tracks around the tanks.
I'm told that these "little" black bears are easily scared off. An from my experiences so far that is somewhat true. But chances are we will run across one with an attitude. Never seen any cubs.
The cougars seem bold. The last time we had an encounter we (my wife and I) we working a 6' deep pit in a dry creek. The cat was coming up creek. My lab was sleeping and broke into a vicious raid down the creek. By the time I got out of the pit, the cat & Tug we having a standoff. As soon as the cat saw me it took off up the hillside into the thick forest. Tug tracked this invisible cat for 30 min moving up and down the creek with his nose in the air. Once he calmed down we went back to work.
Cats seem to be daytime while bears are always just before dawn.
Bears are most active at dawn and dusk but will be out any time, the most dangerous bear is one with cubs the 2nd is a bear who is used to humans and associates them with food. We had a woman here who fed black bears at her house one day the bears ate her.
Fire crackers might work well but they may start a fire. Most of the bears I've seen ran off, the mountain lions I met stood there ground and I think it was about 5am or so, never been so scared in my life.
I think the fence idea is a great one but keep spooking them off. Good luck and be safe with all your wild fires. If your seeing small bears they may have just been kicked out by mama and in need of easy food, black bears can get to over 700 pounds.