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FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:17 PM Aug 9

The DAMN BEAR came back last night! Grrrrrr!!!

It's fuckin WAR now!

He actuslly got in the living room window, broke my bookshelf with his fat ass. Had a little party in the kitchen. Got the frozen cherries out of the freezer, AND half a watermelon in the fridge, spilled oatmilk everywhere, peanuts for the birds all over the floor like a cowbay bar, AND managed to take the cat kibble bucket with him outside - left it on the lawn!

I heard a kerfuffle in the living room, but assumed it was the cat chasing something (chipmunks and mice can get in some hole in the bathroom - can't find it. we're in the forest for crissakes) - So I yeled at the "cat" to go ahead and eat it and don't break anything!
I guess that scared him off - thank goodness, cuz it could have been WAY worse!

Woke up to the cat crying at the back door (she'd obviously gone out the open window up front) and the window open and my kitchen trashed... Fucker.
In my defense, I was struggling to sleep so I took a benadryl about 1am, so I guess that's why I didn't really wake up or investigate last night.

FUUUUCK! Bullet dodged. But now he knows I am a good target. I got a call in to the electric bear mat guy in town. And I have GOT to get new windows. Even if it's just the front ones for now... Maybe the county has a low income program...

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Ocelot II

(126,689 posts)
1. If you're living in a forest you've moved into the bear's home, so you can expect
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:29 PM
Aug 9

the bear to take advantage of whatever you've brought him. When we move into the country we are invading the animals' spaces and they aren't going to go away.

FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
2. oh, I know, believe me...
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:34 PM
Aug 9

but when you live with them in relative harmony for a long time and then they breach the fortress, it's a pisser!

Bayard

(26,588 posts)
3. Holy Crap!
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:35 PM
Aug 9

Glad he didn't find his way to your bedroom! Electric bear mat?

When I lived in Calif, I knew a guy who used to do maintenance in Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. Lots of bears. They had one break into the supply room for the concessions. It destroyed everything, and got drunk on the drink syrup.

hlthe2b

(111,085 posts)
4. Better keep bear spray by the bed. And yeah, the new windows & electric mat may really help.
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:41 PM
Aug 9

I saw a recent YouTube video about a California homeowner experiencing the fact that bears can learn how to open door handles and knobs (I experienced this myself years ago around Durango), so use those deadbolt locks. I have a friend whose kitchen has now basically become a line-up of bear-proof canisters and a specially designed opener for her refrigerator/freezer. She likewise makes great use of HEPA filter systems to get any food odors out of the house immediately after cooking.

Bear bells on the dogs; cow bells on the horses, and bar those stable doors. And a positive attitude as possible--we all invaded their space, after all. No offense. I lived in bear country too for quite some time, and boy have I hiked in their environs (taking all the usual precautions, of course).

Good luck. 'Sorry for the damage from the repeat visits, but glad no one was hurt.

FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
5. yeah, I am glad it wasn't worse...
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 01:52 PM
Aug 9

But I am pretty good about keeping things tidided up and locked. So I am just pissed that I failed to secure things properly. I won't make that mistake again. And am definitely looking into new windows on the front of the house at least!

I've lived in Tahoe for 30+ years, never had it happen before - I guess that's a good track record. I'm the one always telling the vacation rental people to be careful etc (the rental companies are terrible about it)
The worst part is once they peg you as a food source, they come back ... so I gotta be SUPER vigilant now!

likesmountains 52

(4,236 posts)
6. I don't know about your area, but here in SW Colorado there is severe drought.
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 02:31 PM
Aug 9

The acorn crop is non existent, and the bears are starving. Our town had a pretty good grasp on citizen cooperation with bear proof trash cans and other mitigation reducing the number of bears looking for food in town, but bear population is in town in much greater numbers now, than in the past years. Good luck. Hope your bear finds someplace else for dinner.

FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
7. Our urban population is off the charts, too much trash!
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 02:39 PM
Aug 9

We have a horrible issue with vacation rentals. Most have bear boxes, but home security is not great and people leave stuff on porches and in cars... dummys.

I'm out in the county area, less populated. If this was the one I 'know'...I call him Junior, he's about 350lbs, He has never been this brave before. I know we're pretty low on water, but they tend to go for the easy stuff not natural sources. Even when we were evacuated for 2 weeks and the bears were crazy, we had no issues...

Got a window company coming on monday morning, gonna go ahead and replace the front windows on the house for now. Gonna call my insurance company and see if they will cut me some kind of deal for 'bearproofing' the house...

markodochartaigh

(3,700 posts)
8. If bear spray is used in the house
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 02:56 PM
Aug 9

the room that it was used in, as well as much of the house, will be unusable for hours due to the lingering effects of the spray. This is especially true for anyone with lung problems.
An air horn is also effective to scare bears away.

Good luck!!!

FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
9. I wouldnt use bear spray... ever... for those exact reasons (and the cats)
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 03:02 PM
Aug 9

I'll keep a pot and a wooden spoon in my bedroom for noise... and a baseball bat!

Emile

(36,886 posts)
11. Whenever the fishing resorts in Northern Minnesota
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 05:29 PM
Aug 9

had a problem with bears, they would call their game wardens. The game warden would bring out a bear trap on wheels and bait it. The warden would come back out and hook up to the trap and take the bear far away and release it.

FirstLight

(15,676 posts)
13. Yeah here it's a different story Cdfw kills them
Sat Aug 9, 2025, 09:00 PM
Aug 9

And they really only will trap them and euthanize them after a lot of damage and they'll come and do DNA testing and the whole bit to make sure that it's the same bear that's breaking into multiple houses. We have a saying here "a Fed bear is a dead bear"
Prevention is key. That's why I'm going to get my house fixed so it's like fort knox!

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