Bears are waking up from hibernation and are becoming active in your area. At this time of year, these hungry bears will be trying to get into every food source they can, including garbage, old grills, birdfeeders, and anything else that smells like food. Take steps to avoid conflict with bears by removing bird feeders and securing attractants. A bear's strongest sense is smell and they can pick up a scent from over a mile away.

Don’t reward bears with easily available food (including birdseed), liquids, garbage and scraps from a barbeque or grill. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears teaches them to approach homes and people. This is dangerous for humans and bears. Keep Bears Wild by following the BearWise basics above and sharing this information with your neighbors. A community effort will be more effective in preventing conflicts with bears. For more information on living with bears visit https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/black_bears.asp