Birdfeeder Removal Schedule.

NHF&G Requests Responsibity in Bear Country.


NHF&G Requests Responsibity in Bear Country

Take down Birdfeeders Earlier this Spring

Bears raiding a birdfeeder.CONCORD, N.H. - Despite a recent March Nor'easter, bears are becoming active in many areas of the state.  Officials are asking the New Hampshire public to be responsible and remove bird feeders and secure other backyard attractants.  Although March 31 is the traditional deadline for ending winter bird feeding activity, more mild winters and the earlier arrival of spring conditions warrant modifications.
 
"Den emergence by bears appears to be a couple of weeks earlier this year and the upcoming stretch of mild spring weather will cause bears to become active," said Andrew Timmins, Bear Project Leader for the NH Fish and Game Department. "The strong spring sunshine, longer days and warmer temperatures stimulate many wildlife species, including hungry bears. As bears start to get active, let it serve as a reminder that it is time to put the birdfeeders away until next fall."
 
Reports of bear activity and sightings have become more frequent in recent days and many people are reporting seeing bears at their birdfeeders, according to Timmins. "By taking action now, you can prevent attracting a bear to your home. Do not wait for a bear to get the birdfeeder and then respond. Doing so encourages foraging behavior by bears near residences. A single food reward will cause the bear to return and continue to search the area for food.  Averting conflicts with bears requires increased responsibility and proactive behavior by the public.  Feeding birds during the summer is a hobby that puts bears at significant risk."
 
Bear-human conflict mitigation is far more successful when people are pre-emptive, Timmins explains. Black oil sunflower seeds are simply too high a quality of food (high in fat and protein) for bears to ignore. Natural bear foods during spring and summer are generally high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat. As a result, it does not make sense, from the standpoint of energy, for a bear to ignore sunflower seeds.
 
Despite continued pleas asking homeowners not to feed birds during spring and summer, birdfeeders were the direct cause of 25% of bear-human conflicts during 2016.  In addition to birdfeeders, other attractants that contributed significantly to conflicts during that year included unprotected chickens/poultry (23%) and unsecured garbage cans/dumpsters (38%).  "If the public would be willing to address these three common attractants, we could immediately reduce annual bear-human conflicts by 86%, which would be tremendous," said Timmins.
 
Homeowners should take action to reduce the chances of a bear visiting their home. Avoid encounters with bears by taking a few simple precautions:
  • Stop all bird feeding by April 1 or at the onset of extended spring-like weather conditions.
  • Clean up any spilled birdseed and dispose of it in the trash.
  • Secure all garbage in airtight containers inside a garage or adequate storage area, and put garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before. If using a dumpster, inform your dumpster company that you need a dumpster with metal locking tops and doors that are inaccessible to bears and other wildlife.
  • Avoid putting meat or other food scraps in your compost pile.
  • Don't leave pet food dishes outside overnight.
  • Clean and store outdoor grills after each use.
  • Finally, never feed bears!
These steps will help to ensure that your backyard does not become attractive to bears and other wildlife, which is important because it prevents property damage by bears and because it keeps bears from becoming nuisance animals.For more information on preventing conflicts with black bears, visit www.wildnh.com/wildlife/somethings-bruin.html.
 
If you have questions about bear-related problems, you can get advice by calling a toll-free number coordinated jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department: 1-888-749-2327 (1-888-SHY-BEAR).


Posted 3/22/17

 

Scheduled Events

  Seussical   (9/6-15)
  2001 Space Odyssey   (9/7)
  Muster in the Mountains   (9/7-9)
  Wingzilla   (9/8)
  Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino   (9/9)
  Things [Mom] Taught Me   (9/13-23)
  Reach the Beach   (9/14-15)
  WM Storytelling Festival   (9/14-16)
  Metallak Race   (9/15)
  Mandeville & Richards   (9/15)
  Cohase Film Slam   (9/16)
  Tricycle Grand Prix  (9/16)
  Rodney Crowell   (9/21)
  NH Highland Games   (9/21-23)
  Don Who   (9/22)
  Harvest Celebration   (9/22)
  Health & Wellness Fair   (9/22)
  Jeep Invasion  (9/22)
  Lakes Region Tri Festival   (9/22-23)
  Pat Metheny   (9/26)
  Driving Miss Daisy   (9/27 - 10/6)
  Neko Case   (9/27)
  Shot of JD   (9/28)
  Dixville Half Marathon   (9/29)
  New Hampshire Marathon   (9/29)
  Matthew Odell   (9/30)
  Lincoln Fall Craft Festival   (10/6&7)
  Sparrow Blue & Crowes Pasture   (10/6)
  Oktoberfest  (10/6-7)
  White Mountain Oktoberfest   (10/6-7)
  Fall Foliage Celebration   (10/6-8)
  Sandwich Fair   (10/6-8)
  Paddle the Border   (10/7)
  Lincoln Fall Craft Festival   (10/7-9)
  Shadow Play   (10/10)
  Killer Joe   (10/11-21)
  Greg Brown   (10/12)
  Camping & RV Show   (10/12-14)
  Riverfire & Horrorfest   (10/13)
  Jay Stollman Band   (10/19)
  Murder Dinner Train   (10/19-20)
  Pumpkin Patch Express   (10/19-21)
  All Things Pumpkin   (10/20)
  Ethan Setiawan Band   (10/20)
  Bettye LaVette   (10/26)
  Murder Dinner Train   (10/26-27)
  Pumpkin Patch Express   (10/26-28)
  Berlin Jazz   (10/27)

 ◄ Expanded Calendar ►



Photo Galleries

 

Miss Berlin-Gorham Competition 2012 New England Brewfest 2014 RiverFire, Berlin, NH 2012 Sugar Hill Lupine Festival Gallery 2012 Bristol-Gorham Foliage
Quick Links

 






Business Directory

 

 

                      more ►  

 

 

Attractions

 


Area Attractions opening/closing schedules.


  Alpine Adventures
  Clark's Trading Post
  Cog Railway
  Conway Scenic Railroad
  Flume
  Fort Jefferson Fun Park
  Jericho Mountain ATV Park
  Kancamagus Highway
  Littleton Riverwalk
  Lost River Gorge
  Mountain Meadow Funplex
  Mt. Washington Auto Road
  Polar Caves
  Santa's Village
  Storyland
  Vertical Ventures
  Whale's Tail Water Park
  Woodstock Inn & Brewery

 

more ►  

 

Community Profiles

 

  Bethlehem
  Bretton Woods
  Colebrook
  Conway
  Franconia
  Gorham
  Hanover
  Jackson
  Lebanon
  Lincoln
  Littleton
  North Conway
  Pittsburg
  Plymouth
  Twin Mountain
  Whitefield
  Wolfeboro

more ►  

 

Recreation and Tourism

 

  25 Great Summer Adventures
  Farm To Table Restaurants
  Hiking To Crash Sites
  Little Ski Areas
  Local Movie Theaters
  Local Performance Theaters
  Moose Tours

 

more ►  

 

Other Resources

  NH Cabins & Cottages
  NH Census Info
  NH Data (OEP)
  NH Fishing Reports
  NH Foliage Report
  NH Hiking Trail Conditions
  NH Lottery
  NH Movie Guide
  NH Road Conditions
  NH Ski Reports
  NH Snowmobile Trail Reports
  NH State Parks
  NH Town Officials Directory
  NH Weather
  Summer Safety Tips [.pdf]
  White Mtn. National Forest
  VisitNH.Gov

 

 

 

Copyright 2012-2018 by George C. Jobel, 603-491-4340. All Rights Reserved.