 Perhaps one of the greatest
challenges that face the outdoor grower is the threat of
bears. Not only is the bear a threat to your plants, but
the bear is certainly a threat to you as well. Lets
first start off with a little information on bears.
Background
Although bears are
primarily nocturnal, they may be seen at any time, day
or night. The bear is territorial and usually occupies
an area that is 20-25 square kilometers. This means that
if you have a bear damaging your grow bags and digging
up your plants time after time, chances are it is the
same bear. Don?t let a bear?s appearance fool you
though, they can weigh between 200 and 600 pounds, be
from four to seven feet tall, yet they can run as fast
as 50 km/h. The Black Bear is omnivorous which means
that it eats both vegetation and meat, however their
diet usually consists of leaves, nuts, and fruit.
Why are bears attracted to my plot?
Repellants?
Bears are not really attracted
to your plants like deer, but rather to the organic
nutrients that you put into the soil to feed your
plants. Bears have an incredible sense of smell, and
will follow odors for kilometers. They are especially
attracted to bone and blood meal, common ingredients
used for growing marijuana. Bears are also attracted to
manures, fish (fish emulsion), and composts that are
used when preparing the soil for planting. Commercial
composts are comprised of food and organic waste, cow
manure is high in fiber and fats - exactly what a bear
is looking for.
When using organic nutrients
outdoors, consider using lime; not only does it
stabilize pH, it also masks smells.
Another
natural repellent for bears is chicken manure. Dried and
composted chicken manure is a great nutrient additive
for your plants, so spread the manure liberally to repel
bears and it will repay you with nutrients later. After
using chicken manure at my grow area, along with lime,
I?ve never had a bear problem.
Protecting
yourself
If you encounter a bear in the
forest, stay calm and do not run. Running may elicit a
chase response by the bear. The best available advice is
to stand your ground. Stand tall, raise your arms and
lift objects over your head to make yourself appear
larger.
If a bear stands up when encountered,
this does not indicate he is going to attack. Most
likely the bear is curious and wants a better view or to
sniff the air. Back away slowly, and leave the bear an
escape route so he does not feel threatened. I have read
that the bear feels threatened if he chomps his jaw,
lunges, or slaps the ground with his paw.
An air
horn can be effective when hiking in the forest. If you
encounter a bear, simply shoot off a blast which will,
in most cases, make the bear run away. Another item that
you may choose to carry is a 5% capsaicin spray
repellent which can be sprayed into a bear?s eyes,
causing it to retreat.
Bear attacks on humans
are very rare. Bears have been known to be aggressive
when cubs are present, yet rarely attack humans. There
are only two recorded human deaths as a result from an
attack from a Black Bear, ever.
Hopefully this will help you when
dealing with bears in the wild, and good luck to
you! |