Sure would like to understand how that @#%& black bear can reach well over 7' high and tear down my sunflower feeders

Have a 12' 4x4 set, put two sections of 5" heat pipe around it so he can't climb the pole, then added an additional 6' of 4x4. Drilled 1" holes through the top, then slid 8' pieces of pipe through and centered them. At the ends of the pipe, I drilled holes to attach small pulleys to use a rope system to raise and lower them. I have to stand in the back of the Gator just to reach the ropes to lower them.
This morning, both feeders down............

Maybe a cat? They can jump pretty high.

Bet its this same boar. He was a youngster 3 years ago.

Grease the pipe.

He can't climb the pipe. He tries but can't. Evidently I had the feeders to low............ which has been corrected.

Charge or electrify the pipe.......I can keep bears out of my bee hives with a 5 strand hot fence.

But they are ingenious. They pulled down my feeder too which is up 18 ft off the ground. He crawled the tree and pulled out one pulley end. So I electrified the tree.....
JW

You're lucky its only your feeders. We have a couple here in our village which is separated by a highway. On one side is a small bear (150-200) that likes to roam the streets at night. But on the other side there is one that is estimated 450-600 lb that ripped open the guy's garage door - actually ripped it apart, grabbed the garbage can and drug it 50 yards into the woods. My cousin almost hit him with his Ford Escape two nights ago.

That woulda been one messed up Ford. Bear would have been dinged up a smidge too and probably on the angry side of the scale

Barnes, Bears are a VERY ingenious mammal. Some say they are even smarter than Hogs. Get you a Marine battery and electrify your post. That will cure any and all problems. If it will keep them outta bee hives it will surely stop them from Sunflower raids

Someone's home most of the time and certainly at night here. He tries breaking into the house or garage here, it'll be his very last mistake. I'll bust his ask with the 12ga and slug.
A guy just shot one this week that attacked his dog. DNR stated it was the same bear that mauled someone last summer (Somehow they knew). Won't tolerate him breaking in.

The top black tape around the metal is 6' off the ground. The feeders were higher. The pulley system is on the post itself and I have to stand in the back of the Gator to reach the ropes to lower the feeders. The photo above shows him trying to climb, but he can't climb that metal. Its obvious I "thought" I had them high enough. This time they'll be 10' in the air.

I'm envisioning them brainstorming and one standing on the others shoulders

Bears are definitely creative. If they can get it, they will.