Hey everyone! I love feeding birds and squirrels in my backyard, but since I live near the mountains, bears occasionally wander by. They seem to love the sunflower seeds I leave out for the squirrels. I'm looking for suggestions on what to feed the squirrels that will keep them happy but won't catch the attention of any bears. Any thoughts? Thanks!
1 Answer
It's important to avoid any concentrated food sources that might attract bears. I've had success by using these tips:
1. Keep feeders only out from Thanksgiving to Easter, depending on bear activity.
2. From Easter to Thanksgiving, scatter seeds all over the ground instead of using feeders.
This way, we've noticed that bears only come close if there are actual feeders involved, and we haven't had any problems with just scattering seeds around! Just a heads up, I'm referring to American Black Bears, so your results might vary depending on your local bear species.
Sounds like a solid approach! Just saw my first bear of the season today, and he was munching on some seeds in my yard. Really appreciate the advice!