What You Should (and Shouldn't) Do When You See a Black Bear

There have been a lot of black bear sightings in Connecticut recently. In response to that, the State has released a press release of what to do and what not to do if you come in contact with a Black bear.

There are different ways to deal with coming in contact with a Black bear, depending on where you are. If you see a bear near your home you should:

Remove birdfeeders and bird food from late March through November.
Put your garbage cans inside your garage/shed.
Make sure your grills are clean and stored in your garage and shed when you are done using them.

If you see a bear near your home you should not:

Feed the bears. If they get used to you feeding them they could become "problem bears.
Approach the bears or try to get close to them to get a photo or video.
Leave pet food outside overnight.
Put any meat or sweets in a compost pile.

Here is what you should do if you see a bear when hiking or camping:

Make noise while hiking and hike in groups. Make sure, if there is a bear close by, they are aware of your presence.
Always keep your dogs on a leash and under control. A bear could see a loose dog as a threat to itself or its cubs.
If you surprise a bear, back away slowly.
If you are attacked, do not play dead. Fight back with whatever you have available.

If a bear is seen while hiking you should not:

Approach the bears or try to get close to them to get a photo or video.
Run or climb a tree to get away. If you can, wait in a vehicle or a building until the bear has left.
Cook food by your tent or keep food in your tent. Keep food either in a vehicle or hung from a rope between two trees.

If you have livestock:

Protect livestock with electric fencing and move livestock into barns at night, if you can.
Reinforce beehives so they can't be knocked over or put up electric fencing around them.

If you see a bear in a heavily populated area there are a couple of numbers you can call: