Hey New York, Stop Feeding the Bear Population!

The opening weekend of the regular big game hunting season in New York State is here. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will have deer and bear check stations at various locations around the state.

The DEC is also warning New Yorkers to stop feeding the bear population. If you were thinking that the bear populations is already hibernating, think again. Some of the black bear population will be looking for food well into December if not the new year. Here's what you should be doing.

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Bearwise reports that the typical bear will begin hibernation when they have plenty of food in their belly but food supply is different from year to year. The last thing you should be doing is encouraging the bear population to come over for dinner.

You could be encouraging wildlife to visit your property and not even realize it. I'm sure most people would love to see a bear in their yard but if they are coming to eat, you could actually be harming the bear. Here are some very simple and easy ways to keep the bear population safe.

Photo by Chris Geirman on Unsplash

This time of year the black bear is experiencing extreme hunger and they feel like they can't eat enough. If you have seen bear on your property, and even if you haven't, here are some first steps to keep them away and safe:

Remove bird feeders
Remove outdoor garbage cans
Remove any pet food you may leave outdoors

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Gallery Credit: Dom DiFurio & Jacob Osborn