cayugad

The area I live in Northern Wisconsin is known as the "Black Bear Capitol of the World." Its how we advertise the area still. The area used to boast as having the largest black bear population per square mile anywhere in the United States. Although I think Pennsylvania has now took that title. We also are known for a record size black bear killed 3 miles out of town. Field dressed it was 689 pounds. I think that too has now been beat. But ... we have a lot of bears around here. At the DNR office there is a 543 pound bear, fully body mounted. That thing is huge!!!

When I purchased the place, no one told me about the bear situation. So in my back yard was a "flower pot stand"



That first lock ring is six feet. So since I was not a flower person, I hung bird feeders off some of the hooks. In the morning, I found every hook that has a feeder, TORE from the main stem. You can see the four of them still hanging from the other hooks. Needless to say, no feeding the birds on my property.

Bear used to be an almost daily sighting on the place. They would cross the back field through the woods, sometimes come up near the house...



This used to be all too common in the yard. Bears walking in, just checking me out. They've stolen my feed barrel that was chained to a tree. They came on the porch and took the recycle barrel and carried it out into the yard until I screamed at them and they run off. And the worst was coming out of the garage one night, and I flipped on the yard light so I could see to the house, and there was a bear sitting by the back door.

I can feel your pain. And if he found food there once, they will be back. So you might as well pull your feeders.

Semisane

I suspect they dragged a trampoline over from a neighbor's yard.

BarnesAddict

I repaired the feeders and they're up there 10' now. He may come back thinking it will be easy but, he can't climb that pole. Game camera is out too.

Game Stalker

I'm just thinking, but I'll throw this out there: How far is the tree from the center pipe?
Now, how far is the tree from the small, unseen, backside pipe?
Is that pipe long enough and close enough to the tree that the bear could climb the tree to reach out and grab the feeder? If the bear can reach the small pipe, could he place weight on the small pipe and cause the rest of the 4x4 section with feeders to fall to the ground, thereby feasting again? Hopefully, my thoughts amount to nothing. Then, again.......

BarnesAddict

There's more than enough room between the trees and the pipes that the feeders hang from. Placed it that way to keep the squirrels from jumping to it. He'll be back and look things over and I'll get his photo when he does.

Game Stalker

Glad to hear that blacky will have to find dinner elsewhere. Will also be looking forward to those bear pics

BarnesAddict

THEY showed up again last night. It appears its a sow and an older cub? The black tape rings on the post are at 3' and 6' Try as they did, the feeders are still hanging this morning.

Bears 1............. Me 1







Although it tried, it couldn't climb the piping. About all it could do was get a grip on it and hold in place for a short.

cayugad

they are determined little buggers. If you have an old peanut butter jar, hang that high in a tree. It drives them crazy.

Maybe around here they will think winter's back and go back to bed. It was cold in the house this morning so I got up to throw a few chunks of wood in the stove (needed it bad last night ... the house was really cold). Looked out the window and there was a half inch of new snow on the ground. Checked the thermometer and it said 29šs. At least the gnats and mosquitoes got a surprise. They were getting thick already.

Game Stalker

So, by the looks of things, you had perhaps 4-5 unsatisfied bears. Unless the 3 in the background didn't come in.

BarnesAddict

Actually the 3 in the background are made of plywood and paint