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Direction du développement de la faune
BLACK BEARS AND YOU!
or
How to avoid problems with black bears
by
Hélène Jolicoeur
Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec
May 2001
Reference:
JOLICOEUR, H. 2001. Black bears and you! or How to avoid problems with black bears.
Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec, Direction du développement de la
faune. Québec. 60 p.
Legal deposit – Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, 2003
ISBN: 2-550-41043-2
iii
FOREWORD
This report is first and foremost a review of the existing literature “interpreted” in light of
my fifteen years of experience with black bears and includes all sorts of observations
that have been reported to me or that I have gleaned from press articles. In this
document, readers will find recommended safety tips in the event of a black bear
encounter and ways of preventing problems with members of this species that have
gotten into the bad habit of roaming around homes and other places where humans are
present. I would like to warn readers that while there is an abundance of articles and
documents on this subject, they are not always “scientific” and in some cases they may
even be contradictory. This lack of consensus may be attributed to several factors. First,
there are few experts in this field and their experience is based on case studies rather
than on experimentation. Moreover, these experts do not generally publish their findings
and offer advice only sparingly for fear that their observations will be taken up by the
media which, for reasons of space and clarity, often leave out the subtle nuances
attached to such observations. These experts also feel that they have a major
responsibility when it comes to the life and safety of individuals and are afraid that
outdoor enthusiasts might become overly confident if given simplified recommendations.
Consequently, these experts are very careful when making suggestions and, despite all
their precautions, must often reconsider what they have said or written. For if there is
one thing that these scientists have learned it is that bears have personalities and that
their behaviours often do not allow for generalizations. In addition to the unforeseeability
of how each individual bear will react, there is also the unpredictability associated with
the species. Indeed, three different bear species inhabit North America and each
species has evolved in different habitats (open, semi-open or closed). In the face of
danger, the initial reaction of the polar bear, the grizzly bear and the black bear has
been conditioned during their evolution by the possibility of fleeing for cover or the
absence thereof. It is quite understandable that a recommendation that may well apply
for an encounter with a black bear (which tends to run away) may prove fatal in the case
of a polar bear or a grizzly bear (which tends to stand its ground and fight).
It is my hope that this document will provide readers with new insight into the general
behaviour of bears, the appropriate ways of reacting in the event of a chance encounter
with this species, and solutions for resolving conflicts, both big and small, that individuals
iv
experience when black bears become troublesome. Above all, I would like this work to
become a starting point for the development of an innovative organizational expertise
founded on the sharing of highly varied experiences. Strange and unexpected situations
involving black bears have already been reported to me, as have original suggestions for
resolving certain conflicts. These many little tips that have proven helpful in a given
situation, although seemingly insignificant at first glance, may be very useful when
nothing else helps in the face of the ingenuity, boldness and gluttony of these
“insatiable inhabitants” of our forests.
Finally, due to the particular style of this publication, I have purposely left out scientific
references as well as the names of the individuals who conveyed information to me. To
simplify and standardize the text, I have instead decided to place the list of works
consulted at the end of the document and to include in the acknowledgments the names
of those persons who contributed information found under the various headings of this
report.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
FOREWORD ...............................................................................................................
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................................
v
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................
vii
PART ONE: UNDERSTANDING BEARS....................................................................
1
1. UNDERSTANDING BEARS...................................................................................
3
1.1 Eating, an obsession ......................................................................................
3
1.2 Threat or attack?....................................................................................................
4
1.3 Why bears attack............................................................................................
9
1.4 What happens in winter?................................................................................
11
PART TWO: LIVING WITH BEARS ............................................................................
15
2. LIVING WITH BEARS ............................................................................................
17
2.1 Advice in the event of an encounter with a bear ............................................
2.1.1 If the bear is far away and has not yet seen you ................................
2.1.2 If the bear is far away and has just heard or seen you.......................
2.1.3 If the bear shows an interest in you and approaches .........................
2.1.4 You surprise a bear and it becomes aggressive ................................
2.1.5 The bear follows you insistently or rushes toward you without fear ...
2.1.6 The bear is in its den and comes out suddenly ..................................
17
18
18
18
19
19
20
2.2 Advice adapted to various situations..............................................................
2.2.1 Bears near homes ..............................................................................
2.2.2 Bears on an organized campground ..................................................
2.2.3 Hiking and random camping...............................................................
2.2.4 Instructions for fishers and hunters ....................................................
2.2.5 Instructions for forest workers ............................................................
2.2.6 Bears in their den ...............................................................................
20
21
24
24
27
28
29
PART THREE: STEPS TO PREVENT DAMAGES CAUSED BY BLACK BEARS .....
33
3. STEPS TO PREVENT DAMAGES CAUSED BY BLACK BEARS.........................
35
3.1 General principles .......................................................................................... 35
3.2 Preventing the most common types of damages ........................................... 35
3.2.1 Beehives............................................................................................. 35
vi
3.2.1.1 Identification of damages .....................................................
3.2.1.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
Corn and oat fields .............................................................................
3.2.2.1 Identification of damages .....................................................
3.2.2.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
Bird feeders ........................................................................................
3.2.3.1 Identification of damages .....................................................
3.2.3.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
Attacks on livestock ............................................................................
3.2.4.1 Identification of the problem.................................................
3.2.4.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
Orchards and noble hardwood stands................................................
3.2.5.1 Identification.........................................................................
3.2.5.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
Damages to cottages..........................................................................
3.2.6.1 Identification of damages .....................................................
3.2.6.2 Prevention and deterrents....................................................
35
36
38
38
38
39
39
39
40
40
41
42
42
42
43
43
43
4. DEVICES AND APPROACHES TO DEAL WITH TROUBLESOME BEARS.........
44
3.2.2
3.2.3
3.2.4
3.2.5
3.2.6
4.1 Fences............................................................................................................ 44
4.1.1 Electric fences .................................................................................... 44
4.1.2 Non-electrified fence ........................................................................... 46
4.2 Repellants ...................................................................................................... 46
4.2.1 Sound and visual repellants ............................................................... 46
4.2.2 “Bear repellants” ................................................................................. 47
4.3 Dogs ............................................................................................................... 47
4.4 Non-lethal projectiles...................................................................................... 48
4.5 Negative conditioning ..................................................................................... 49
4.6 Relocation ...................................................................................................... 49
4.7 Feeding areas ................................................................................................ 50
4.8 Hunting and trapping ...................................................................................... 50
5. WHAT THE LAW SAYS .........................................................................................
51
5.1 Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife......................... 51
5.2 Environment Quality Act................................................................................. 52
5.3 Regulation respecting the quality of the atmosphere ..................................... 52
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..............................................................................................
53
WORKS CONSULTED................................................................................................
54
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1.
Selection of perennial plants sought by the ruby throated humming bird .. 40
Table 2.
Comparative table of 110-volt electrifiers................................................... 45
Table 3.
Comparative table of battery-powered electrifiers ..................................... 45
PART ONE: UNDERSTANDING BEARS
3
1.
UNDERSTANDING BEARS
1.1
Eating, an obsession
In order to be able to survive in their dens during the long winter months without food or
water and to be able to nurse their newborns, bears must build up substantial fat
reserves over a six-month period. Not surprisingly, the search for food is a permanent
concern of bears. Thanks to their curiosity, their dexterity and their excellent sense of
smell, bears easily detect anything that is edible (rhizomes, bulbs, seedlings, young
leaves, insects, berries of all kinds, acorns, beech nuts, animal carcasses, etc.) and
often show amazing ingenuity in their efforts to reach or obtain food. Bears explore
everything that they find along their way. Occasionally, a young cervid will fall prey to a
bear. In search of a rich source of food, bears can travel distances of 100 km in
practically no time. As they also have a very good memory, bears are capable of
returning to the same spot year after year and showing their young the way. When
naturally occurring food becomes scarce, either owing to the loss of a habitat or
unfavorable weather conditions that affect the production of small fruit, bears will
approach human settlements and will make the most of all the sources of food that they
can find (cornfields, orchards, garbage, bird feeders, etc.). Food of human origin is
very profitable for bears because it is highly concentrated and rich in calories.
Once bears find such a food source, they will use it for several days or weeks and keep
coming back until it is depleted. It is important to ensure that bears do not associate
human food with food that is easily obtainable and ultimately lose their natural fear of
humans. Once this process begins, bears quickly become a source of problems. These
troublesome bears will have to be relocated far away in the forest or be killed. Relocating
troublesome bears is a stopgap measure as a large portion of relocated bears will try to
come back to their point of origin. Moreover, these capture and relocation operations
require substantial human and monetary resources.
4
Fall outings
In October 1995 a female accompanied by her two cubs, which had been marked in
Maine, traveled 105 km to feed in Monts Notre-Dame near Saint-Fabien-de-Panet
only to return to her point of origin in under 15 days. In the fall of 1990 and 1995
bears tagged in 1990 in the Saint-Maurice Reserve and in the northern part of
Mastigouche Reserve covered some 75 km to feed in cornfields near the village of
Saint-Paulin in Mauricie.
Hungry as a bear
In the summers of 1995, 1999 and 2000 bears were much more visible than in other
years. This increased visibility was attributed to a lack of food (small fruit mainly) or a
delay in its appearance. During these years of famine, bears sought desperately to
build up their fat reserves before winter and visited inhabited areas in search of food
in fields or near homes. For 2000 alone, 183 bears had to be relocated and another
103 were killed following cases of troublesome bears.
1.2
Threat or attack?
There are some 60,000 bears in Québec and they are found in every region of the
province, even the most inhabited. Yet under normal circumstances it is rare to
encounter bears, as they are discreet animals that fear the presence of humans and
avoid contact with them. As soon as bears detect a human presence either by sounds or
smells, they will silently withdraw into the forest. But occasionally bears overcome this
fear and approach human settlements or attack persons. While seeing or encountering a
bear in the woods or near an inhabited area is an experience that some people would
consider scary, it is important to keep in mind that bears rarely attack humans upon
mere sight and that only a tiny percentage of attacks result in serious injuries or death.
For as long as records have been kept, there have only been two known cases of
deaths attributable to bears in Québec, one in 1983 in the La Vérendrye Wildlife
Reserve and the other in the summer 2000 on the territory of the Valcartier military base.
However, at least once a year there is a report of a bear attack that is deemed serious.
These attacks generally resulted in superficial or deep lacerations but could have turned
out much worse had it not been for the swift action of the individuals involved or the
arrival of a third party.
5
When bears do decide to attack, they engage in what is known as a “bluff charge”, i.e. a
feigned attack to make the person flee. Usually, this attack is preceded by a
demonstration of the bear’s ill humor (huffing, snarling, growling, clapping sound of
jaws), followed by clear threats (threatening look with its head down and ears flattened
back, swatting or beating the ground with its forepaws) and finally a charge of a few
metres followed by a sudden stop and about-face. These bluff charges may be followed
by an assault, but in many cases the animal retreats after having displayed its array of
threats. Adult males and females defending their cubs are most often responsible for
cases involving attacks on humans.
Frelighsburg, Estrie, July 1996
A 62-year-old man living in an isolated location in Frelighsburg was busy inflating a
tire of an old truck parked near his house when all of a sudden he sensed a
presence behind him. Without having the time to react, he was knocked over by a
bear and received several blows. The man began to yell and, still on the ground,
struck the bear with a piece of wood. This defensive gesture did not appear to make
much of an impression on the bear which kept up its attacks. The animal, a female
accompanied by three cubs, appeared to be injured and frequently looked at her
young that were walking about a few metres away. Taking advantage of a moment of
distraction, the man escaped the bear’s hold and sought refuge in his house after an
altercation lasting about 30 seconds. The female, which was never found, had
inflicted long and deep scratches on the man’s chest, back, arms, legs and face.
6
Cadillac, Abitibi, September 1994
A prospector with more than 30 years of experience in the forest was marking trees
to delineate the limits of a mining concession. In his possession he had an axe and a
backpack, in which there was no food. A bear suddenly appeared about 25 m away
from him and quickly moved in his direction. The prospector started to run with the
bear in hot pursuit. The race ended around a big aspen tree. Standing on each side
of the trunk, the man and the bear hesitated as to which direction to take. The bear
appeared to opt for the right. Without waiting, the prospector made off toward the
left. But the bear was not sure of its choice and suddenly changed directions.
Approaching the man, the bear struck his hand with its paw injuring him slightly.
Without hesitating, the prospector hit the bear on the back of the head with his axe.
Surprised and injured, the animal ran into the forest, only to charge toward the man
a few seconds later. In the face of this harassment, the prospector began to yell and
to hit a tree trunk repeatedly with the back of his axe. The bear finally gave up and
retreated into the forest, leaving the prospector in a state of shock.
Island Brook, Estrie, May 1998
A provincial police officer had just installed his salt-licks in preparation for the fall
deer hunt when he heard branches crack. Turning around, he saw a bear charging
toward him. The officer began to run toward his ATV but as the bear was gaining on
him, he decided to climb a pine tree. The bear climbed up after him. The police
officer grabbed a broken branch and used it to strike the head of the animal until it
decided to climb back down. Angry, the bear broke branches with its paws and its
mouth at the foot of the tree in which the officer had sought refuge. Eight times the
bear tried to reach the policeman in the tree, even chewing on the soles of his boots
at one point, but the officer managed to fend off the bear’s attacks. The man
remained in the tree for 12 hours until his next of kin, concerned about his prolonged
absence, found him in the evening, still astonished by his adventure. The bear, a
young female, did not appear to be accompanied by cubs but hiccoughed as if she
were about to throw up. The bear also had froth on her lips. Captured a few days
later by a trapper, the animal was examined to see if she had rabies. The tests
turned out to be negative.
7
Girardville, Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean, August 1999
While moving about in dense brush, a foreman of the Donohue timber company had
a chance encounter with a cub. The mother who was not far off began running after
the man who managed to climb a tree. It was at this point that he saw the cub that
had also sought refuge in a tree about a dozen metres away from him. At the foot of
the tree, the mother, clearly angry, growled, shook her head, snapped her teeth and
scratched the trunk with her paws. She appeared to go back and forth between the
tree where her cub was hiding and the one on which the forestry worker was
perched. However, the more time passed, the more her attacks lessened in intensity.
Suddenly, the foreman saw the cub climb down from the tree. Afraid to find himself
confronted with the furious mother, the man remained in the tree and called for help
using a radiotelephone that was attached to his belt. The company helicopter, which
was in the sector, succeeded in locating the tree where the foreman had sought
refuge and hovered over the site allowing the man to get down from his
uncomfortable position and to reach safety. The man was not injured by the bear but
had a few bruises on his arms and scratches resulting from his sudden climb.
Valcartier, Capitale-Nationale, July 2000
A biathlon athlete was training in the summer of 2000 at the Valcartier military base
on a trail specially laid out for this purpose in the middle of the woods. The young
woman left the base at around 9:00 a.m. for training. In the evening, patrol officers
went looking for her because she had failed to return. She was found dead. She had
bite marks on her neck and her left hip. Adult bear tracks were visible nearby. In all
likelihood, the athlete was attacked from behind after a short pursuit without her even
realizing what was happening. It was surmised that she was knocked to the ground
by the bear and then bitten on the neck. Her neck was broken between the third and
fourth cervical vertebrae. The young woman’s body had not been dragged or eaten
by the bear. A nursing female, apparently without a cub, was captured near the site
of the accident. As the distance between her fangs corresponded to the marks left
on the athlete’s body, officials presumed that it was the bear that had caused the
young woman’s death. The bear was killed.
8
La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, Outaouais, July 1983
A group of young people from Ontario taking part in a canoe-camping trip in the La
Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve decided to stop for the night at the edge of Lac
Canamina. They hung their food from a tree 3 m in height, out of the reach of bears.
Three tents were placed in a semi-circle around the campfire. At around 11:45 p.m.,
the group leader heard noises and saw a bear that was roaming around the camp.
He woke up the youngsters and asked them to sing and make noises to scare the
bear away. Exhausted, they fell asleep around 3:00 a.m. This was the moment that
the bear had been waiting for. Entering a tent, the bear seized an 11-year-old boy
and dragged him over a distance of 45 m to a thicket. The youngster was yelling
very loudly but his screams lessened in intensity as the bear moved away with its
prey. In the dark, the other members of the group could not see where the screams
were coming from and were unable to help their companion. The bear fatally bit the
youngster in the throat and ripped open his thorax and abdomen with a powerful
blow from its paw. At the time of the autopsy, it was revealed that the boy’s death
was due to asphyxiation by strangulation, followed by an external hemorrhage from
a section of the left carotid. The neck was also fractured at the fourth cervical
vertebra. The bear was never found despite all efforts to locate it.
Algonquin Park, Ontario, July 1997
A case similar to that of the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve occurred in Algonquin
Park in July 1997. However, it had a much more fortunate outcome. An 11-year-old
boy from Montréal on a canoe-camping trip in Algonquin Park in Ontario was pulled
from the tent in which he was sleeping with other youngsters of his age by a 140 kg
bear at about 1 o’clock in the morning. Upon realizing the danger, the boy began to
yell. Alerted by his screams, two counselors accompanying the group began to strike
the bear on the head with an oar. The bear let go of its prey and climbed a tree.
Miraculously, the young boy survived 23 bites, mainly to his thighs and his buttocks.
No vital organ was affected. The bear was subsequently caught and the autopsy
revealed nothing out of the ordinary.
Accidents with bears may be the result of provocation or negligence, but most of the
time it is a question of probabilities. The more bears and humans find themselves in
potential contact situations, the greater the risks of chance encounters and accidents. If
the number of accidents involving black bears appears to be on the rise of late, it is
simply because contacts with this species are becoming increasingly frequent all across
North America.
9
1.3
Why bears attack
The reaction of bears to the presence of humans is influenced by several factors and
consequently is not always predictable. Their attitude may vary according to their
reproductive stage (female with cubs, male during its mating season), their personality
(dominant, submissive), their territorial status (adult with an established territory or subadult with no territory), their physical condition (injured, old) and finally the type of
experience that they have had with humans in the past.
Rabies is often cited as a reason to explain cases involving bear attacks and in most
instances, the animal’s body is checked for the presence of this disease. Yet to date
rabies has never been shown to have been the cause of a bear attack on humans.
Unlike in the case of other wild animals, the black bear is rarely infected with this
disease. No representative of this species appears among the 6,682 rabies cases
detected in wild animals in Ontario (1954-1968) and on the list of the 441 documented
cases in Québec (1993-1994). Other hypotheses involving pain caused by trichinosis
and cranial trauma associated with blows from moose hooves have also been put
forward to explain the abnormal behaviour of some bears. However, the real reasons
that lead bears to become threatening or to attack humans are behavioural in nature and
may be summarized as follows:
Some bears are no longer afraid of humans, having grown accustomed to them. For
these bears, humans are nothing more than food providers. To obtain their share of
food, bears may become impatient or aggressive. These bears may inadvertently or
intentionally cause injuries by striking humans with their paws or by biting.
The bear is surprised or is not given enough space and feels cornered or threatened. In
the case of animals as in humans, there is a “personal” distance that each individual
naturally tries to maintain between itself and fellow animals. This distance may vary from
one to 50 metres depending on the situation, the animal species in question or the
animal’s condition or state (female with her young, injured animal). A sudden intrusion in
this “protected” area may be viewed as a threat. Depending on its temperament, the
animal will move away to re-establish its “personal distance” or will cause the intruder to
10
flee by threatening, chasing or attacking it. Tourists who try to take pictures of bears
exacerbate this feeling of invasion by trying to get close to bears. This type of
behaviour has prompted numerous bear attacks in North America of late.
A female with her cubs is approached too closely. All bears will aggressively defend their
cubs. They are therefore dangerous and must never be approached too closely. If an
accompanied female is surprised or momentarily separated from her young by a human,
she will react by charging toward this “intruder”. The bear’s aggressiveness will depend
on the situation. If her cub can climb a tree and the mother bear can remain close to the
base of that tree, the situation will appear less critical and desperate to the bear, and her
reaction may be less virulent. The problem with this category of individuals is that you
rarely see their cubs, the latter having been warned ahead of time of the arrival of the
intruder. Without the obvious presence of the cubs, it is hard to know if one is dealing
with a female. It is even harder to move away from the cubs as one cannot see them or
may never see them. The usual advice, which is never to put yourself between a female
and her cubs, becomes very hard to follow in such cases.
A bear defends an abundant food source. Bears also attack to preserve their food and
remain near their food supply until it is depleted. That is why it is important to be
cautious when you approach an animal carcass, a pile of bait or a dump in the wild.
A bear is injured, suffering or starving. Bears may accidentally be injured by a car,
hunting or a trap. Their injuries may prevent them from obtaining naturally occurring food
efficiently. Starving or exasperated by their suffering, bears will try to obtain human food
at whatever the cost, showing signs of impatience or aggressiveness.
11
The bear considers humans as prey. In rare cases, bears consider humans as a source
of food. A bear that adopts a predatory behaviour shows no fear and advances toward
its “prey” by walking quickly or running. A predatory bear may also pursue an individual
that it encounters or encircle him by making careful maneuvers. It is important to keep in
mind that this type of behaviour may also be adopted by curious young bears that have
little experience with humans. To correctly identify “the intruder”, they will try to follow
him at a distance in the forest and skirt around him to pick up his scent. A curious bear
will not make any noises with its mouth and will flee once it has made its identification.
A bear that is standing on its hind legs is not aggressive. By adopting this position
and occasionally moving its head from left to right, the bear is merely trying to identify a
scent or to determine if you represent a threat.
1.4
What happens in winter?
Once hidden in their dens, bears are practically invisible. Without a radio-transmitter to
reveal their presence, it is virtually impossible to detect the location of their hideaway
even for someone who has extensive experience. When moving about in the forest, you
may walk right past a bear hibernating in its den without even realizing it. Occasionally,
dogs may bark to signal the presence of a bear in a den. Under our habitat and climate
conditions, bears use a large variety of obstacles to find shelter in winter. Most of the
time, the animal digs its den under the roots of a live or dead tree. Overturned tree
trunks, logging debris and more rarely rocks also serve as shelter for bears. Less than
5% of bear dens are used two years in a row by the same animal.
Bears do not sleep very soundly when in their den. They doze, alternating between
periods of deep sleep and periods when they are awake. Their organism is adapted to
use the energy from all the fat accumulated during the summer and fall.
From
December to April, they feel no need to eat. Beginning in March bears wake up
gradually. Some bears, mainly males, may even venture outside of their den on a nice
day. For females that dig deeper dens, getting out can be harder as they usually block
the entrance slightly with earth. They have to wait for spring, when the snow melts, to
come out of their den.
12
Bears, whatever their age or sex, may come out of their den if they are disturbed by an
insistent noise or vibration near the opening of the den (e.g. chainsaw). Any other
condition that leads to the deterioration of their shelter is likely to result in the temporary
or definitive abandonment of the den (see the boxes). Males more than females, with
yearlings or cubs a year old, tend to come out of their den promptly if disturbed.
Saint-Raymond, Capitale-Nationale, winter of 1994-1995
A young bear, 4 years of age, was spending the winter under a big rock in a
commercial maple grove. In March, the sun, as it heated the surface of the big rock,
caused the snow around it to melt. The water infiltrated under the rock at the very
spot where the bear had sought refuge. Consequently, the bear had to leave its den.
Not being able to find anywhere else to stay, the bear once again sought refuge
under the rock, this time near the opening of its flooded den. The owners of the
maple grove, while tapping maple trees, came across the tracks around the rock and
spotted the bear’s back. The case was reported to wildlife protection officers of the
Saint-Raymond office who decided to relocate the bear to ensure the safety of
workers and visitors, as well as the bear’s comfort. With the help of a technician
specializing in immobilizing bears in dens, the bear was tranquillized, tagged and
relocated to Portneuf Wildlife Reserve where officers built a makeshift shelter for it.
The bear was captured the following fall in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. It
had covered a distance of 180 km.
La Conception, Laurentides, winter of 1994-1995
From January 12 to 17, 1995, the La Conception region received 65 mm of rain.
Following this mild spell, a bear, likely forced to leave its flooded den, was found
lying down near a barn located ¼ km from the woods. The back of the bear was
exposed to the elements and the animal was trying to hibernate. Alerted by the
property owner, wildlife protection officers went to the site with bales of straw to
build a shelter for the bear, but it ran into the woods before they were able to do
anything.
13
Squatec, Bas-Saint-Laurent, winter of 1990-1991
On January 13, 1991 a 3-year-old male bear entered a sheep barn, the door of
which had been left open. The bear appeared to be almost lifeless and did not show
any interest in the sheep. The animal was also very skinny. As its chances of
survival were very low, the wildlife protection officers had no other choice but to put
the bear out of its misery. This unusual behaviour occurred the day after a
snowstorm dumped 20 cm of snow on the ground. From December 24, 1990 until
the day the animal tried to enter the building, the maximum and minimum
temperatures were very low, reaching –31.5°C two days prior to this event.
Mont Saint-Michel, Laurentides, winter of 1995-1996
Forestry workers were doing a partial harvest close to Mont-Saint-Michel north of
Mont-Laurier. They had been working for a day within a 100-metre radius. The
temperature was relatively cold, i.e. about -15°C. On Friday, January 12, 1996, a
skidder operator attached and began pulling the trunks of trees toppled by the wind
and which had been cut for recovery. The operator was unaware that a bear was
spending the winter under this group of fir trees blown over by the wind. Suddenly
awoken by the noise and vibrations, the bear, of undetermined sex but about 3 to 4
years old, came out of its den. The animal, which appeared to be very sleepy, tried
to climb a cedar tree but to no avail. It got up and began to run away. The following
Monday, the workers wanted to collect the branches left on site the week before,
but the bear came out of its den again. This time the bear was not as sleepy and
appeared to be a little more aggressive. It moved away in another direction. The
workers abandoned their recovery work on this site so as not to disturb the bear any
longer. The following March 27th wildlife protection officers paid a visit to the den but
the bear had not returned.
PART TWO: LIVING WITH BEARS
17
2.
LIVING WITH BEARS
2.1
Advice in the event of an encounter with a bear
Recreational activities associated with the forest have developed a great deal over the
past 30 years. There was a time when the forest was reserved for lumberjacks, fishers,
trappers and hunters. Nowadays, the forest plays host to hikers, horseback riders,
cyclists, canoeists, kayaking enthusiasts, campers with both light and heavy equipment,
etc. All-terrain vehicles also make it possible to easily explore sectors once deemed
“inaccessible” due to the absence of roads. Today, there is very little wooded territory
near inhabited areas that has not been invaded by humans. How many times have you
seen bears during these outings? Once or twice perhaps? But how many humans do
bears see in a day or a week without you ever being aware of their presence? The past
experiences that bears have had with humans, whether positive or negative, count as
much as do the attitude, either calm or panicky, that you will show when you encounter
the bear. That is why the outcome of each encounter is unpredictable.
There is no sure fire formula when it comes to the ideal way of reacting to the presence
of a bear, as each encounter is unique. However, there are certain rules of behaviour
that can help you defuse tense and dangerous situations. Since encounters with bears
are infrequent, the odds of developing well-honed reflexes in the face of each situation
are low. That is why it is a good idea to review the general safety instructions issued by
the competent authorities before leaving on an outing. If you are with a group, discuss
ways of coordinating your actions in the event of a chance encounter. The instructions
given in this chapter address every imaginable situation ranging from a harmless
situation to the most perilous one. Through force of circumstance, reading these
instructions may cause you to panic rather than reassure you. However, it is
important to always keep in mind that black bears are discreet and nonaggressive animals that prefer to flee in response to our approach. You are more
likely to be bitten by a dog, to be hit by a car or to be struck by lightning than you
are to have an encounter with a bear “that turns out badly”.
18
But if an exceptional situation were to arise and you were to have a close encounter with
a bear before it had the time to see you or to flee, here are a few suggestions that may
prove helpful.
2.1.1
If the bear is far away and has not yet seen you
If the bear keeps its head lowered and is active, it has not yet detected your presence.
Remain calm. Admire the animal from a distance then move backwards slowly.
Make a big detour to avoid the place where the bear is located or wait until it leaves the
site.
2.1.2
If the bear is far away and has just heard or seen you
If the bear’s head is raised when you spot it, the bear has heard a noise or picked up
your scent. Stop walking. Evaluate the situation. Make your presence known to the
bear. Speak to it in a normal voice. Move your arms slowly so that it can identify you as
a human. Otherwise, it will come toward you or stand on its hind legs to identify you
better. Once this identification has been made, you can gently go back the way you
came or make a detour to go around the bear. Maintain visual contact. If you are
unable to do either, wait without moving until the bear leaves. Leave the bear some
room so that it can get away. Do not corner the bear.
2.1.3
If the bear shows an interest in you and approaches
Continue identifying yourself as a human. Move away from the bear while talking to it
softly. If it continues to advance toward you, distract it by dropping a bag or an object
that cannot be used as a means of defence later (e.g. axe, oar). Never throw food
except as a last resort because the bears will be more demanding and more
threatening toward the other people they meet in the knowledge that they can easily
obtain food. Find a tree that you could climb if the situation were to deteriorate. Don’t
run. Running may encourage the bear to follow you and to mistake you for prey. A bear
can reach the speed of 50 km/h when running. You’ll never be able to outrun the bear.
Don’t look the bear in the eyes. Such a gesture will be perceived as a threat. If despite
these precautions, the bear does not flee, there is danger. The bear may have
19
misidentified you or may still be trying to identify you by approaching you, or it may have
decided to scare you away by making threats or bluff charges. Keep a watch on the
bear’s ears, the more they are flattened back on its skull, the more the bear is agitated
and troubled by your presence.
2.1.4
You surprise a bear and it becomes aggressive
In this situation, the bear has been caught off guard and is acting by defensive reflex.
Even if the bear threatens you, you can still defuse this aggressiveness by backing away
slowly, by speaking to it or by dropping an article in front of you. At this stage, try to be
the least threatening possible.
2.1.5
The bear follows you insistently or rushes toward you without fear
A bear that is stalking a human will be insistent and threatening. It will emit sounds,
unlike in the case of a curious young bear that is trying to identify you. In this extreme
situation, it is preferable to face the bear. Try to intimidate the bear by appearing
dominant. Bang objects together, raise your voice. Vigorously move your arms, your
coat, a branch or your backpack above your head or jump in the air to appear bigger.
These means will work if the bear is still afraid of humans. If the bear does not appear to
be intimidated and continues to move toward you. Take a stand and defend yourself.
Use your fists, rocks, a stick, an oar or an axe to defend yourself. Seek refuge behind an
obstacle (tree or rock) and use it as a shield.
If you can climb a tree, do so. Experts do not all agree on this piece of advice as bears
too can climb trees. However, lives have probably been saved thanks to this tactic (see
boxes). If you are dealing with a female with her cubs, it is possible that the female will
perceive your presence in the tree as a threat to her offspring, especially if the cubs
have sought refuge in a tree not far from you. In this case, the mother bear will stand
guard at the foot of the tree for hours and will express her ill humor by scratching the
trunk with her claws and by biting on the branches. You will be stuck in this situation until
an external event occurs and causes the female to leave.
20
It is hard to say whether or not it is a good idea to play dead, as there are far too
few examples to generalize. In the case of the grizzly bear, which is more territorial
than the black bear, humans are occasionally perceived as being an invader just like
another bear. Hence, humans represent a rival that needs to be eliminated. This may
also be true in the case of black bears accompanied by their cubs, which see humans as
a threat to their offspring. In this precise case, by playing dead, we defuse the
aggressiveness of the bear, as it no longer has any reason to fear us. But if you are in
the presence of a predatory bear, playing dead will be of no avail. On the contrary, it will
facilitate the bear’s task.
2.1.6
The bear is in its den and comes out suddenly
This situation is more dangerous for the bear than for you. Let the bear go. Don’t run
after it; instead leave the area immediately. The bear will likely return to its den if it
was not overly disturbed. In winter, bears are not aggressive except perhaps when they
feel cornered or threatened, or they have come out of their sluggishness due to noises
that are insistent or nearby (e.g. barking dog, snowmobile, chainsaw, etc.).
2.2
Advice adapted to various situations
For city-dwellers, the forest is synonymous with getting away from it all, quality of life and
a change of scenery. People are now looking for new residential neighbourhoods in
wooded sectors for both their beauty and their added value. On weekends or during their
vacation, city-dwellers leave their home for a trip to the cottage or to partake in the joys
of random or organized camping. Full of enthusiasm, they occasionally forget that
the forest is also home to bears.
While the presence of bears may be undesirable and even intolerable for some people, it
is possible for humans and bears to live together safely if all the necessary precautions
are taken to ensure that bears do not associate human food in all its forms with
food that is easily obtainable. The pursuit of this objective should be a constant
concern on the part of individuals who live near or move about in the forest and also of
those municipalities that welcome a large number of vacationers or having residential
neighbourhoods in wooded areas on their territory. The prevention of problems involving
21
bears should be seen as both an individual and a collective responsibility. When
you ignore these instructions, it is not only you that you are affecting but also your
neighbours and everyone who will come to the campground sites after you. Moreover,
by adopting a negligent or casual behaviour, all bears will get a bad reputation,
which only a few bears, conditioned by the presence of humans or unusually aggressive,
deserve. The following advice, which we have adapted to various situations, is founded
on three basic principles:
1. Never feed bears intentionally;
2. Store all imaginable sources of food or garbage out of the reach of bears;
3. Minimize odours associated with food or garbage.
2.2.1
Bears near homes
Bears are attracted to homes and cottages mainly by garbage and bird feeders. Pet
food, barbecues, fruit trees and gardens may also interest bears. If you live in a wooded
sector or in a place where bears are seen occasionally, here is how to avoid or reduce
bear problems on your property, whether it is your main or secondary residence:
•
Store garbage in bear-proof containers or keep it in closed storage areas (garage,
shed, etc.) until garbage is picked up. In terms of sturdiness, keep in mind that
anything less solid than a 200-litre oil drum with a lockable cover will not withstand
bears;
•
Ask your municipality to pick up garbage more often during the summer or to do so
early in the week following a “busy weekend”;
•
Do not use old fridges or freezers to store your garbage. Bears have no trouble
opening them;
•
Clean garbage cans and containers regularly and apply lime inside and around the
containers to cut odours;
22
•
Minimize odours by rinsing plastic containers and tin cans before disposing of them
in the garbage;
•
Never place meat, cooking oil, dairy products or fruit in your composter;
•
Keep meat scraps in your freezer until garbage pick-up day;
•
Do not feed birds between April and November, namely during the period when
bears are active, unless your feeders are in a location that is inaccessible and are
equipped with a collector tray to prevent seed from falling to the ground. You can
also remove the seeds, tallow and humming bird feeders every night;
•
Keep pet food indoors and store it in an air-tight container;
•
When you use your barbecue, clean the grills after each use to remove any food
remains;
•
Store your barbecue indoors in a closed enclosure (garage, shed, etc.). If this is
impossible, reduce the spread of odours by covering it with a barbecue cover and
sheltering it from the prevailing winds;
•
Pick all ripe fruit off trees and fallen fruit from the ground;
•
If harvest time has not arrived yet, protect your fruit trees and garden with an electric
fence or an electrified wire. Do likewise for your beehives and valuable trees;
•
A dog that is on a leash or kept in a kennel and a bright light illuminating your
property can prevent bears from roaming around your home;
•
If despite these precautions, a bear approaches your home or comes on to your
property, do not panic, do not shoot and do not approach the bear. The bear will
23
continue on its way when it finds no food. Learn to tolerate bears. Many bears are
killed or injured without having caused any problems;
•
Keep a safe distance from bears. Tell other people you know, especially those who
would like to approach bears, to do likewise;
•
For greater safety and to keep the situation under control, have your children come
inside the house and put your dog on a leash;
•
If the bear gives vocal warnings or makes bluff charges, it is because you are too
close to the bear. Withdraw slowly being sure to remain calm and seek refuge in
your home until the bear leaves;
•
If the bear refuses to leave the sector, make noise or throw objects in its direction to
frighten the animal;
•
When you are traveling about, think about bears. Do not corner a bear as it could
feel threatened and become aggressive. Allow the bear to have some room so it can
flee to the woods or to the place from which it came;
•
If the bear has climbed a tree, leave it alone and withdraw from the sector. The bear
will climb down once it feels safe;
•
If a bear appears to be threatening or lingers in the sector, contact the local office of
the Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec (FAPAQ). A wildlife protection
officer will evaluate the situation with you. Following this evaluation, he may install a
cage to capture the animal alive or dispatch a third person (trapper or hunter) to
catch the animal. A bear that is threatening or that is causing damage to property
may only be killed if all means have been taken to scare off or to prevent the bear
from causing damage (sections 67 and 68 of the Act respecting the conservation and
development of wildlife, see section 5.0).
24
2.2.2
Bears on an organized campground
•
Do not leave food on picnic tables or in tents;
•
Store your cooler and dry food in an air-tight container. The trunk of your car is a
good place to store food. On some campgrounds, air-tight containers are available
for persons traveling on foot, on bicycle or on motorcycle;
•
Dispose of your garbage in bear-proof garbage cans regularly;
•
Dispose of greasy waste at the appropriate disposal sites or in toilets;
•
If a bear approaches your campsite, pick up your food and garbage immediately. Try
to scare off the animal. If the bear does not leave, walk slowly to your car or any
other safe place;
•
Report the presence of any bears to the person in charge of the campground;
•
If you want to take a picture of a bear, use a zoom lens rather than trying to get close
to the bear.
2.2.3
Hiking and random camping
Random camping, with or without facilities, and long outings, whether on foot or in
canoes, are becoming increasingly popular in Québec. During these outings you have to
rely on yourself. The pleasure that you will derive from your experience and your safety
will depend on the precautions taken by the persons who preceded you and by your way
of storing food and disposing of garbage properly. Be aware of your responsibility.
Keep in mind your own safety and that of the others who will follow you:
•
Never go on an outing alone. Big groups are preferable as they tend to be noisier;
25
•
Avoid moving about during half-light. Be careful when traveling near the shores of a
lake or on the banks of a watercourse, as bears often use these places to move
about and to feed in spring;
•
Keep your children nearby;
•
Dogs can warn you of the presence of a bear and in so doing make you feel more
secure. But not all dogs are equally courageous. Some will prefer to remain quiet
and keep their head down at the approach of a bear. If you are traveling with your
dog, keep it on a leash. Dogs can attract bears or exacerbate them simply by
barking. Your dog can put you in an awkward situation, if it comes running back to
you with a bear in hot pursuit;
•
Make your presence known by attaching an object that makes noise (bell, tin can
with stones, etc.) to your backpack. Talk, sing or whistle while walking. Remember
that noises only travel a limited distance and can be drowned out by the wind or the
sounds of a river or stream;
•
At night, use a flashlight to warn animals of your presence during your movements;
•
Be on the alert when you walk. Look for signs that indicate the presence of bears
(tracks, scat, smashed tree trunks);
•
Avoid camping in a sector that is obviously occupied by a bear. Do not set up your
tent near a trail, a logging road or a sector where there is an abundance of small
fruit. Bears like to take these paths when moving about and frequent these areas to
feed;
•
Set up your camp near a tree that you can climb if necessary. Place the opening of
your tent near this tree and keep your head facing the opening;
26
•
Avoid traveling with food that gives off odours (fresh meat, smoked meat, fish, etc.).
Canned goods and dehydrated food minimize odours. Otherwise, put food in air-tight
containers;
•
Toiletry articles with a persistent scent (scented soap, tooth paste, aftershave lotion,
deodorant) intrigue bears and may attract them. Wherever possible, limit such
products to a strict minimum; otherwise suspend them with the food and garbage
from a tree;
•
A woman having her period may arouse the curiosity of bears. As a precautionary
measure, wear tampons rather than sanitary napkins. After their use, place them in a
sealed plastic bag for disposal when you get back;
•
Do not keep food in your tent. Bring along about 15 m of nylon rope to suspend out
of the reach of bears, in a tree or in a location provided for this purpose, all food,
garbage and any other article that gives off odours. The recommended height is
between 4 and 6 m, and the material should be suspended 1 m from the trunk;
•
Do not cook or eat in your tent. Separate the food preparation area from the rest
area. Build your cooking fire as far as possible from your tent at a low spot and
monitor the direction of the wind to avoid the smoke moving in the direction of your
camp;
•
Wear a hat or a handkerchief on your hair when you are cooking to avoid having
your hair become impregnated with cooking odours;
•
Keep your campsite clean. Wash your dishes after each meal and dispose of greasy
waste far from the camp;
•
Dispose of your garbage on a daily basis if appropriate facilities are available.
Otherwise, treat garbage like food. Put it in an air-tight container and bring it back to
your point of departure. It is forbidden to bury or burn garbage (section 66 of the
27
Environment Quality Act and section 22 of the Regulation respecting the quality of
the atmosphere, see section 5.0);
•
Wash all tin cans to remove odours;
•
Have on hand something to frighten bears. There are several bear deterrents on the
market (e.g. illuminating flares, boat siren, pepper spray (Cayenne pepper). Make
sure that these products are authorized by law. Read the manufacturer’s instructions
before leaving on an outing;
•
If a bear approaches your campsite, frighten it away by making known your presence
either by speaking, banging pots together or by throwing small objects to let the
bear know that it is not welcome;
•
If the bear is persistent and it is still daylight, take down your tent and continue on
your way. Find another site to camp. If it is dark, organize a watch and leave the site
the following day. Report the presence of any persistent bear to the person in
charge.
2.2.4
Instructions for fishers and hunters
Aside from the general instructions for storing your food and disposing of your garbage,
here are a few tips that apply to hunting and fishing activities in particular:
•
Minimize odours. Remember that fresh meat, carcass remains, fish and odours from
cooking fish can travel over large distances and can easily attract bears;
•
Keep your clothing clean. Never sleep with clothing that is dirty or spattered with
blood. Do not store such clothing in your tent;
•
Keep the fish that you have just caught in water to reduce odours;
•
Do not store fish or fish bait (minnows) in your cabin. Do not bring game near your
tent or your cabin;
28
•
Remove blood and sticky deposits from boats and fishing gear (spoon-net). Take the
time to carefully clean all utensils that were used to capture, prepare and cook fish;
•
Wherever possible, separate cleaning, game preparation or cooking areas from the
place where you are sleeping and the trails you are taking. When performing these
chores, choose a place that is low-lying so that the wind does not propagate the
odours;
•
If you bag a deer or a moose and if you must leave it in the forest for a few hours, a
bear might find and claim it. If possible, drag the carcass to an open area where you
can see it from a distance. When you return to the carcass, make noise while
walking to warn an eventual bear that might be in the vicinity. Remember that a bear
will defend its food aggressively;
•
Hang the carcass or the quarters between two trees out of the reach of bears;
•
When you go back and forth between the place where your meat is suspended and
your tent or cabin, always follow the same trail and make sure that the one you use
ends in front of your tent or cabin. That way you can clearly see any bear that might
want to follow your tracks;
•
If a bear approaches you while you are fishing, stop. If you have a fish on the hook,
do not let it fight at the surface of the water. If possible, cut the line. If a bear learns
to associate a fisher with easily obtainable food, it will be emboldened and will come
back insistently.
2.2.5
•
Instructions for forest workers
Leave the coolers containing your meals and snacks in the compartment of a
vehicle;
•
Do not feed bears and do not dispose of food remains in the forest;
29
•
Work in a group if possible; otherwise, attach to your clothing or your material an
object that makes noise when you move in order to warn bears of your presence;
•
Always report to a third person. Tell him where you are going and at what time you
expect to be back. Have on hand a method of communication so that you can
contact your base if necessary.
2.2.6
•
Bears in their den
If the den of a bear is inadvertently discovered and there is a risk that the animal will
be disturbed by passers-by due to its visibility, keep the location of the den as secret
as possible to avoid visits by curious individuals. Move very quietly around the den
and cover the entrance with softwood branches to keep the animal in half-light and
protect it from prying eyes;
•
If a bear is roaming in the forest in winter or if it suddenly comes out of its den
because it was disturbed various reasons, there is a good chance that the bear will
return to its den once calm has been restored or when the bear feels like it. Leave
the area quickly and avoid looking for the bear. If the animal does not return to its
den, it will find shelter under a tree or a pile of branches to complete its hibernation.
Its chances of survival are fairly good under normal winter conditions;
•
When a bear approaches houses in winter, it is likely that the bear was disturbed or
that it is looking for another place to complete its hibernation. This bear does not
pose a threat to humans as during this period its metabolism has slowed down and
looking for food is not the bear’s chief concern. However, avoid stimulating the
bear. If you have dogs, keep them on a leash. Don’t make noise and don’t pursue
the bear. If the bear is only wandering around homes, it is preferable to leave the
bear alone and let it return to the forest;
•
If the bear is trying to hibernate in or under a farm building, the best solution is to call
Wildlife protection officers. They will decide if the animal must be immobilized with
drugs and transferred to a shelter in the forest or killed. This decision will depend on
30
the situation and also people’s tolerance. In the United States the owners of an
upscale residence located in a wooded housing development agreed, on the advice
of one of the most eminent black bear specialists, to not disturb a bear and her cubs
that had decided to hibernate under the patio of their home. In the spring, the mother
bear and her offspring left the premises during the night and returned to the forest
without causing any incident;
•
It is forbidden to destroy or damage the den of an animal (section 26 of the Act
respecting the conservation and development of wildlife, see section 5.0). If a bear
den is discovered on a logging site, it is possible to grant temporary protection to the
bear by asking the logging operator to keep intact, until the end of the winter, a
wooded strip around the bear’s den. This type of arrangement was made in the
winter of 1994-95 between the persons in charge of Mauricie National Park and a
logging operator who was working outside the park, in order to protect the den of a
marked female monitored as part of a research project. In this particular case, the
logging operator was able to recover the wood during the summer or the following
winter;
•
If a bear must be relocated, avoid needless noise and traffic around the den so
as not to cause the bear undue stress and in order to ensure that the bear
remains in its den until it is time for relocation. Silence must also be maintained
during the immobilization and transport of the bear, as some immobilizing products
do not produce a deep sedation. Place a blanket on the animal to keep it warm.
For the reasons indicated above, we advise against transporting the bear by
snowmobile. Helicopter hoisting may be a solution in inaccessible areas but only
over short distances to prevent the bear from getting cold;
•
The temporary shelter that will serve as the animal’s den until the end of the winter
must be built or arranged with materials on site to protect the animal from rain, wind,
the cold and above all light. Half-light seems to be a prerequisite for the bear’s
acceptance of its improvised den. Look for a site in the forest that already offers
natural shelter. Once you have found the spot, pat down the snow to make a floor,
then cover it with a pile of fir tree branches. Place the bear on this makeshift bed and
31
build a hut around it with conifer branches. Place hardened clumps of snow on these
branches, then cover everything with a thick layer of snow. Leave an opening to
allow air to circulate.
PART THREE: STEPS TO PREVENT DAMAGES CAUSED BY BLACK
BEARS
35
3.
STEPS TO PREVENT DAMAGES CAUSED BY BLACK BEARS
3.1
General principles
Bears are animals that learn fast. This ability will be reinforced when rewarded with food.
Once bears have discovered a food source, it is generally hard to get them to give up on
this source even after having placed obstacles, whatever the nature, in their path.
Prevention is the best means of avoiding problems with bears. As with all other animals,
there is no one single way of dealing with problems involving damages caused by bears.
However, in trying to understand the needs and seasonal behaviour of bears, you can
often succeed in choosing the most appropriate means of control and substantially
reduce the amount of damages caused by bears.
To prevent damages, it is important that you respect the following general principles:
1. Remove or render as inaccessible as possible potential sources of food (beehives,
livestock, bird feeders, garbage, animal carcasses) in areas frequented by bears;
2. Put in place at the right time, namely before bears generally make their
appearance, means to prevent bears from approaching sources of food;
3. Make a regular inspection of the means put in place and ensure that they are
functioning properly.
3.2
Preventing the most common types of damages
3.2.1
Beehives
3.2.1.1 Identification of damages
The black bear is the only animal, aside from the skunk, to show an interest in beehives.
For bears, beehives contain the perfect food combination: honey and larvae. At one and
the same place bears obtain both carbohydrates and proteins. The damages caused by
bears are readily observable as bears completely destroy the hive with their paws and
spread the debris all over. Occasionally, the bear will attack the brood and leave the
honeycomb intact. Sometimes, the bear will do the opposite. It would appear that the
bear may make this choice depending on whether it is lacking proteins (brood) or
carbohydrates (honey). Claw and teeth marks are visible on the beehive debris and
36
leave no doubt as to the culprit’s identity. Usually, you will find on site not far from where
the beehives were located, tracks and droppings. If there is a large number of beehives
and the bear does not destroy them all at once, it will keep coming back until such time
as there is no longer anything to eat. The route that the bear will take from one time to
the next will always be the same and, in the end, will resemble a well-marked trail
between the woods and the beehives.
Damages to beehives can occur at any time, but peak periods are observed in the spring
when other sources of food are rare or in late summer or early fall in years of scarcity.
3.2.1.2 Prevention and deterrents
To prevent damages to beehives, wherever possible place hives at least 50 metres from a
wooded area, a watercourse with shrub-covered strips or a ditch. Bears do not like to
move about in the open and instead take advantage of strips of forest or the drainage
network to get about. If despite these precautions, bears discover and destroy hives, you
must prevent bears from reaching the hives by installing a fence around them. Exclusion is
the best method for solving this problem and has proven its merits both here and
elsewhere. Wherever possible, the fences must be installed before the critical period, as
once the bear has grown accustomed to feeding on hives, it is very difficult to prevent the
bear from doing so. For example, if a bear has attacked two or three beehives and
additional hives remain in the apiary, it is preferable to move the intact beehives to another
site immediately and to protect them with a portable electric fence. If the remaining
beehives are left at the same location, the odds are good that the bear will finish off the job
despite the presence of an electrified fence.
As the cost of installing a fence represents a significant outlay, it is important to know how
to choose the type of fence that will be best adapted to the beekeeper’s needs. If there is a
large number of hives and if the risk of damages seems high, a permanent electrified fence
probably represents a good choice (section 4.1.1). On the other hand, if the person keeps
only a few beehives for pleasure and if bears have paid him a visit only a couple of times, a
portable electrified fence in the form of a wire or a net will be much more suitable for this
type of situation (section 4.1.1).
37
When the beehives are surrounded by an electric fence, you must be careful not to place
the beehives within one metre of the fence. This will help ensure that bears do not attack
the hives from outside the perimeter.
Finally, if for one reason or another, electrification is not possible or desired, it is possible
to ward off bears with a traditional fence provided that it meets the construction criteria set
out in section 4.1.2.
Beekeepers have also met with success in preventing damages caused by bears by
building various types of cages. The beehives are placed in small groups and surrounded
by two rows of square metal fencing (15 cm side squares) solidly attached to stakes driven
into the ground near the hives. Fencing is also attached on top to confine the beehives.
This type of cage can be placed on farm trailers, which facilitates their transport using
tractors. In the Outaouais region, commercial beekeepers have even bought old school
buses in which they have installed a dozen beehives. These beehives are placed on the
supports built in front of the windows of these school buses. As a result, the beehives can
be moved about easily and are inaccessible to bears. These buses are also used to store
and protect equipment used in beekeeping work.
Platforms are another means of exclusion that are especially popular in the southeastern
United States. This solution is however expensive and is generally suited for beekeeping
operations with fewer than 30 hives. Beyond that number, it becomes difficult to work with
and move among the hives. However, for those persons who would like to experiment with
this solution, the following recommendations should be respected: 1) the platform should
be built 3-4 m (some people recommend up to 5-6 m) from the ground; 2) have an
overhang measuring 0.5 m; 3) the poles must be 15 cm in diameter and the first 2 metres
must be covered with fairly thick metal to prevent bears from climbing them.
38
3.2.2
Corn and oat fields
3.2.2.1 Identification of damages
Adult males and sub-adult males are mainly responsible for damages to livestock or
crops. As for females, they mainly cause problems in years of scarcity when hunger and
the need to build up fat reserves for the winter and for their future pregnancy drive them
to feed in fields. A bear will find a sheltered area in the field and will feed on cobs of corn
by pulling the stocks toward it. Unlike raccoons, which eat only the corn grain and leave
the rest of the cob intact, bears chew on the cob and eat all or half of it. Bears move
from site to site leaving behind more broken corn stalks than corn actually eaten. It is not
so much the loss of seeds that bothers farmers, as it is the bent stalks resulting from the
passage and random movements of bears. These stalks cannot be harvested by farm
machinery. Black bears prefer corn when it is in the “milk-coloured” stage, i.e. before it is
ripe. In our climate, this stage occurs at the end of August in those areas having the
most heat units and crop growth (e.g. Montréal area, Estrie, Outaouais) and in early
September elsewhere.
3.2.2.2 Prevention and deterrents
The best method for combating damages to crops is to vary growing methods and to avoid
wherever possible sowing corn and cereal crops in fields located near wooded areas.
Given the fact that Québec farmers already practice crop rotation and fields are used to
grow cereal crops only one year in four, it is difficult to do more in terms of prevention for
oat fields. However, in the case of cornfields, some American producers have managed to
limit damages by creating smaller plots and by separating them by strips of prairie (millet
mainly, no mix of clover). The aim of this precaution is above all to limit the extent of
damages and is only interesting if the decline in corn production resulting from this practice
is less than that associated with the damages caused by bears.
Some Québec farmers confronted with chronic bear problems in their fields have devised
strategies to reduce their losses. A farmer of the Buckingham area in Outaouais has
cleared a plot of land in his wooded area and devotes it exclusively to growing corn. That
39
way, he keeps bears out of his fields for 10 to 15 days, the time needed for his corn crops,
which he reserves for silage fodder, to reach maturity and to be harvested.
According to some farmers, bears are selective when it comes to corn varieties. They
quickly learn how to recognize these varieties and actively seek them out, even if that
means covering large distances to feast on their favorite varieties, while avoiding other
readily available varieties having reached maturity, but considered less tasty. The
identification of these varieties of corn coveted by bears would be useful in preventing
damages.
The installation of a portable electric fence is effective in keeping bears away. However,
it may represent a significant investment and only prove cost-effective in those sectors
where damages attributable to bears are high and recurrent. Scaring is also an effective
method provided that the source of noise or light is moved often so that the bear does
not grow accustomed to it. Among the most commonly used sources of noise and light
are strobe lights, loud music, bird canons, pyrotechnic devices, human shapes, etc.
3.2.3
Bird feeders
3.2.3.1 Identification of damages
Feeding birds in order to attract them has become a very common practice in both urban
and rural settings. Often, people are not content with having just one feeder, but feel they
need several feeders containing a variety of seeds. In wooded areas, bears are
occasionally attracted to this significant source of food. Following the passage of a bear,
the feeders are completely destroyed. As these feeders are located near homes, the bear
is often seen roaming around the property and even on the patio. It is not the scope of the
damages that leads people to call wildlife protection officers but rather the fear of seeing
this imposing animal near their homes.
3.2.3.2 Prevention and deterrents
Ideally, bird feeders should be used during the winter period or, at the very most, during
the spring and fall migration periods. In the opinion of some wildlife protection officers, it is
sometimes hard to convince people to avoid feeding birds in the summer. If such is the
40
case, the feeders can be suspended from a wire spanning two trees rather than attached
directly to a tree. A rope and pulley system facilitates the filling of feeders. In summer, birds
can also be attracted by other means than food such as bird baths or dust baths, for
example. During this period, you can also show an interest in humming-birds. Some
garden plants with pink, red and purple flowers attract not only humming-birds but also
butterflies (Table 1).
Table 1.
Selection of perennial plants sought by the ruby throated humming bird.
English name
Latin name
Bee-balm
Monarda didyma
Wild columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Fringed bleeding heart
Dicentra eximia
Fireweed
Epilobium angustifolium
Hollyhocks
Althaea rosea or officinalis
Coral bells
Heuchera sanguinea
Cardinal-flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Foxglove Beard-tongue
Penstemon digitalis
Garden phlox
Phlox paniculata
Sage
Salvia sp
When a bear has begun roaming around a home and is interested in bird feed, it is
important that feeding cease immediately in the entire sector concerned by the bear’s
activities to avoid having the problem migrate from one neighbour to the next. During this
“weaning” period, property owners should also respect all the guidelines concerning the
disposal of garbage and food sources (section 2.2.1).
3.2.4
Attacks on livestock
3.2.4.1 Identification of the problem
Bears tend to observe the least effort principle and will prefer feeding on vegetation
rather than chasing after calves or sheep. Certain bears are however exceptions to this
rule for reasons that we ignore. Once this behaviour has been adopted, the bear tends
to become a frequent “repeat-offender”. Predation by bears must be distinguished from
41
predation by coyotes or dogs. Coyotes mainly attack the neck whereas dogs, less
efficient, chase the animals and go after the hind limbs. As for bears, they bite the neck
and shoulder of their prey. Teeth marks measuring about 1.25 cm in diameter (canines)
in the region of the neck leave little doubt as to the identity of the predator. On bigger
animals, you may also see scratches on the shoulders and the side of the animal.
Farm animals react differently to the approach of a bear. Sheep, for example, will have the
reflex to form a group and tighten their ranks. In the case of depredation involving a bear,
several sheep will be killed in a small radius. As for cattle, they will tend to scatter in all
directions. That is why only one body is found at a time. Horses are rarely killed by bears
but may be attacked. Scratch marks are often visible on their sides.
Once the animal has been killed, the bear will tend to rip it open and feed first on its
viscera, followed by the meat of its hindquarters. Some bears will prefer to go for the neck
and shoulders, where the skin was torn. The udder of lactating females is also a favourite
spot. To avoid swallowing the hair or wool of big prey, the bear will skin the animal using its
claws and mouth. That explains why only the skin and the skeleton, almost intact, are
found on some kill sites. When the prey was killed in the middle of a field far from the
forest, the bear will tend to drag the carcass toward the woods or to dense bushes. If the
bear cannot finish eating its prey, it will cover the carcass with leaves, dirt and plant waste,
and will come back to finish off the remains near dusk or at dawn the following day.
3.2.4.2 Prevention and deterrents
Wherever possible, avoid having animals graze in fields located near a wooded area. You
can also put livestock in a shelter or a paddock for the night. The presence within the flock
of a sheep dog can help avoid bear attacks or reduce their importance. The barking of a
guard dog specially trained to remain within the perimeter of an “invisible fence” is effective
for warding off bears in those places where attacks are frequent and recurrent. Other
sound devices can be employed to frighten bears, provided that the location of the devices
is changed regularly.
42
3.2.5
Orchards and noble hardwood stands
3.2.5.1 Identification
Bears may damage trees in the spring by stripping bark from the trunk of some plant
species to lick the sap and to eat the cambium, which eventually causes the tree to die.
This phenomenon is fairly rare in Québec, but in some states on the west coast of the
United States, it is severe enough to cause major losses to the local logging industry.
Bears may also use some trees to mark their territory. It is not uncommon to see long claw
marks spaced 1.5 cm apart on the bark of trees extending over a length of 20-30 cm at eye
level.
In fall, it is mainly orchards that interest bears. Bears can break branches and even trunks
when they climb apple or other fruit trees or even when they pick fruit. Once bears have
begun to feed in orchards, they will return there regularly under the cover of darkness.
More rarely, bears may attack the fruit formation of noble hardwoods planted for their wood
or preserved in nature to serve as seed trees (e.g. black cherry trees). In these cases, the
bear climbs to the top of the tree, sits on the axil of a branch and breaks the highest fruitbearing branches. The broken branches that accumulate around the bear give the
impression of forming a huge nest. Some people call these piles of branches “bear chairs”.
3.2.5.2 Prevention and deterrents
In the case of large orchards, a permanent or temporary electric fence is the best solution
to solve this problem. When there are only a few trees, a quick or early harvest of the fruit
may be envisaged. To protect the bark of precious trees and to prevent bears from feeding
on the fruit formations of seed trees, a portable electric fence put into service a short time
before the critical period is the best solution. Sound effects can also help resolve the
problem if it occurs over a short period of time.
Keeping a sheep dog running free in an orchard surrounded by an electric fence is a very
effective method of keeping out not only bears but also all mammals that love apples and
the bark of apple trees (white-tailed deer, small rodents, etc.).
43
3.2.6
Damages to cottages
3.2.6.1 Identification of damages
The nature of the damages caused by bears to vacation cottages and hunting and
fishing camps leaves absolutely no doubt as to the identity of the perpetrator. Claw
marks, forced entries and exits, and the devastation of food storage sites are usually
clear signs that a bear has “left its calling card”.
3.2.6.2 Prevention and deterrents
The use of sturdy building materials in cottage construction is a good first step in
preventing problems with bears. When closing your cottage for the season, protect the
doors and windows with well-adjusted shutters that cover the entire opening in order to
prevent bears from finding something to grab on to. Some persons successfully prevent
bears from entering their cottage by placing nail-studded boards on steps and flat
surfaces such as window ledges. These nail-studded boards can be removed when you
open the cottage in the spring. To make these boards, drive 6 cm nails into a piece of
plywood that is 1.25 cm thick. The nails should be spaced 5 cm apart. These nailstudded sheets can also be used to completely surround a cottage or a tent-trailer. The
sheets are placed directly on the ground and are held in place by their weight. Curiously,
bears do not move these sheets of plywood and tend to avoid them wherever possible.
There is no risk of injury for bears. However, these devices are not recommended in
areas that are frequented by people (e.g. campgrounds).
Do not leave any food in cottages when they are closed up for the season or left
temporarily unoccupied. Bring back all garbage for municipal pick-up.
44
4.
DEVICES AND APPROACHES TO DEAL WITH TROUBLESOME BEARS
4.1
Fences
4.1.1
Electric fences
The electric fence is the least expensive of all and, moreover, is easy to install. It can adopt
all forms to take advantage of the presence of a tree or an existing fence pole, thus
reducing the cost of purchasing materials. This type of fence is ideal when damages
associated with bears are low to moderate. For a fast and less expensive installation, you
can use light equipment made up of 4 strands of electroplastic wire (metal strand braided
with plastic strands) set at 15, 40, 65 and 90 cm from the ground and held in place by the
notches in the plastic stakes. These stakes will be driven into the ground every 3-4 m. For
a more permanent electric fence, you can use 12.5-gauge galvanized wire or two-strand
barbed wire of the same gauge, attached to 120 cm metal “T”-shaped stakes (30 cm in the
ground) or treated wood stakes. Place braces at the four corners or at all locations where
there is too much inward “pull”. The insulators are turned inward except on the corner
posts where they are turned outward. The 4 strands are linked together by pieces of
electroplastic wire or galvanized at several spots to improve energy conduction. As bears
tend to go under fences rather than to step over them, it is important to be on the look-out
for small depressions along the fence and to add additional stakes.
The electrical current is induced by a high-power electrifier (delivered power of ≥ 5 joules)
or medium-power electrifier (delivered power of < 5 joules) connected to a 110-volt outlet,
a 12-volt battery or two 6-volt batteries placed in series. Solar panel electrifiers
(2-
10 watts) also produce good results. Depending on the power of the electrifier, it is
possible to electrify between 3 and 90 km of fence (Tables 2 and 3).
45
Table 2.
1
Comparative table of 110-volt electrifiers.
Maximum power
(in delivered joules)
Fence length
(km)
1.21
12
2.4
24
5.3
58
9.4
98
In an electric fence, it is the energy (expressed in joules) that causes the pain and not the
voltage (expressed in volts). The energy produced by an electrifier can be expressed in
two ways: in stored joules and in delivered joules. The first are the internal energy of the
electrifier, whereas the second take into account a 30% power loss when they are
released in the fence. An electrifier with a stored power of 15 joules offers a delivered
power of only 10 joules.
Table 3.
Comparative table of battery-operated electrifiers.
Maximum power
(in delivered joules)
•
0.12
•
•
1
1.5
5
9
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Method of operation
Length of fence
(km)
Four 1.5-volt batteries
12-volt battery
2-watt solar panel
3
12-volt battery
5-watt solar panel
10
12-volt battery
10-watt solar panel
15
12-volt battery/
10-watt solar panel
50
12-volt battery/
20-watt solar panel
90
46
A 12-volt battery (80-90 amperes) will last 12 weeks on average, if the fence is properly
installed and maintained. An old truck battery should last at least 6 weeks. It is important to
protect the charger and the battery from the elements. Drive a metal rod 1.5 to 2 m in
height and 1.5 cm in width in the ground, preferably at the dampest spot, to ensure good
grounding. Regularly check the insulators and the voltage of the fence, which should be
about 3,000 volts. To avoid losing current, keep the charger and the battery dry and make
sure that the connections are free from rust. The grass must also be cut over a width of 40
cm under the wires. An approved herbicide can be used to inhibit growth. Avoid spreading
herbicide over too large a surface in order to ensure that the bear remains in contact with
the grass. That way, there will be a maximum impact. Finally, place pieces of brightly
coloured tape on the 4 wires to indicate to passers-by the presence of the wires and install
signs at regular intervals announcing the presence of an electric current. Provide an
opening to enter the perimeter of the fence.
4.1.2
Non-electrified fence
In those places where electrification is either not possible or not desired, a 2.5 meter high
metal wire fence (squares having 15 cm sides) can keep out bears. The metal wire must
be solidly attached to wood stakes and end in two rows of barbed wired held by supports
forming a 250° angle outside the enclosure.
4.2
Repellants
4.2.1
Sound and visual repellants
Sound and visual repellants are generally used on a temporary basis to keep bears away
until such time as more efficient steps can be taken. The problem encountered with sound
and light repellants is that not all bears are frightened by this means and those that are,
quickly grow accustomed to these repellants. That is why we recommend that you vary the
source of sound and light as well as its location. The means used to scare bears include
loud music, pyrotechnic devices, campfires, gun shots fired in the air, distress flares,
stroboscopic lights, bird canons, boat sirens. Based on certain tests conducted in the field,
bears seem to be sensitive to sounds whose frequencies vary between 0.1- 9 kHz. A noise
having a sound intensity of 1-4 kHz is effective in warding off a bear.
47
4.2.2
“Bear repellants”
“Bear repellants”, aerosols containing capsaicin, a natural product extracted from Cayenne
pepper, have already proven their effectiveness in dealing peacefully with “bluff charges”
by bears and in stopping actual attacks. According to the standards set by American
specialists, bear repellants should contain between 1 and 2% of capsaicin or one of its
derivatives. The spray must be dispersed in a cone shape, have a reach of at least 8 m
and last a minimum of six seconds. Directed toward the bear’s face, capsaicin causes a
major irritation of the mucosae of the eyes and the nose as well as a contraction of the
bronchial tubes. The effect lasts from 5 to 15 minutes, which gives the person enough time
to get away. Worn on the waist in a special case, this type of repellant is mainly used as
last-resort personal protection for people who work or move about in the forest. Based
on initial observations, bears do not react aggressively after having been spayed with
capsaicin. It is a good idea to test the product before going on an outing to make sure that
the spray can works and also to familiarize yourself with the product. In the event of a
chance encounter with a bear, it is recommended that you: 1) spray the product standing,
wherever possible, with your back to the wind; 2) direct the spray toward the face of the
bear when is about 6-8 m away; 3) only give short sprays at a time and 4) continue
spraying until the bear leaves. In the event that you are exposed to the product, rinse
mucous membranes with plenty of cold water. Medical assistance may be required if you
inhale the product.
In recent years, there have been warnings that capsaicin may actually attract bears rather
than repel them. Indeed, experts have realized that some bears (mainly grizzly bears) lick
objects that have been sprayed with this product. That is why it is recommended that you
only use capsaicin when there is a direct contact with a bear and that you avoid spraying it
on objects around your campsite in the hope that this will keep bears away. If the spray
can has already been used, neutralize the odour by cleaning the spray tip with alcohol.
4.3
Dogs
48
Dogs can be useful, either to detect the presence of a bear and thus warn the owner, or to
scare it away by barking. Dogs must be on a leash or kept inside an enclosure near the
place where the bear leaves the forest before venturing into a field. However, dogs on a
leash are at greater risk of being killed by bears. The use of an “invisible” fence and of
dogs specially trained for this type of enclosure yield good results in those cases where the
damages caused by bears are substantial. However, it is important to keep in mind that not
all dogs have the same capacity to detect and to react appropriately to the presence of a
bear. The dog must be trained for this type of surveillance work and be under the
responsibility of its owner at all times. It is up to the owner to see to the dog’s needs.
Dogs specially selected and trained to watch over herds are very useful in gathering
animals in close rank and in so doing foiling the predator’s tactics. Some races can even
stand up to a bear and attack it. This is the case of Akbash, Komondor and Anatolien
sheepdogs, as well as Karelien hunting dogs, of Finnish origin. These dogs must be
specially trained to scare off bears and must be left unattached. To prevent these dogs
from straying and attacking wildlife, they must be closely monitored by their owner and be
on duty only during critical periods. At all other times, these dogs must be kept in a kennel.
4.4
Non-lethal projectiles
Guns firing non-lethal projectiles are a promising technique to deal with bears that cause
recurrent problems and to settle the problem once and for all.
Bears that are hit with such projectiles are not injured and do not become aggressive
toward the person shooting them. Once hit, the animal quickly leaves the area and does
not come back. There are two types of projectiles: plastic balls designed for 12 gauge
shotguns and 33 mm rubber balls fired using a special 38 gauge shotgun. This repellant is
expensive and in some cases, its use is restricted to authorized personnel having received
appropriate training. This is the case for 38 mm rubber balls, which are still at the
experimental stage in some parts of Canada and the United States. To our knowledge,
plastic balls have never been tested on bears in Québec.
49
4.5
Negative conditioning
In the United States hunters who specialize in hunting bears with hounds are often called
upon, together with their hounds, to condition bears negatively. In the company of their
masters, hunting dogs pick up the scent of the bear and chase after the bear barking
loudly. The idea of this “hunt” is not to kill the bear but rather to instill fear in it. The bear will
then associate the location with danger and will stay away from it. Occasionally, this
method can reserve unpleasant surprises when the hunters engaged in the bear’s pursuit
lose control over their dogs. The damages resulting from the chase through the fields is
often worse than the damages caused by bears. In Québec, this method can no longer be
employed as bear hunting with hounds has been prohibited since 1998.
Bears causing depredation problems can also be captured alive in “culvert traps”, then set
free after an entire night spent in the cage. There are good odds that the bear will
associate its visit with an unpleasant experience and will decide to leave the area for good.
These traps are placed on wheels and can be attached to the back of a vehicle. They can
be set up anywhere a car can go.
4.6
Relocation
This technique involves capturing the delinquent bear alive in a cage and releasing it far
away from the place where it caused damages. This is a technique that is mainly used to
resolve problems around campgrounds. In order for this method to be effective, the bear
must be relocated more than 80 km from its place of capture. It is only understandable that
a bear that finds itself in a strange territory will not necessarily want to stay there and will
try to return to its point of origin using its legendary “homing” skills. We do not know how
bears navigate their way back home or how they manage to relocate their old habitat but
some bears, males in particular, succeed after a few weeks and even a few days.
Relocated females, especially those that were moved with their cubs, are more likely to
settle near the release site.
When the relocation site is very far away, the bear will eventually settle at a place that suits
it, somewhere between the release site and the point of origin. The sex and the relocation
distance will influence the success of this operation. In the year following their relocation,
50
bears experience a high mortality rate owing to their greater mobility and their social
interactions with resident bears. In some places, troublesome bears are transported to
areas where there is a low bear density to help repopulate the area in question or to
increase hunting success. However, not all wildlife managers agree on the merits of this
practice.
4.7
Feeding areas
In emergency cases, when you are faced with increasing problems of troublesome bears
and when public safety may be at risk, a feeding area can be set up in the forest. Such a
site has already been created in Parc de la Gatineau in Outaouais in the summer 1995. At
this location, trucks dumped tons of apples from the month of September until the first
snowfall. The initiative proved to be a success as some thirty different bears took
advantage of this food supply. However, before deciding to create a feeding area, you
must carefully weigh the pros and cons of such a measure to avoid producing the opposite
effect to the one sought, namely creating a habituation among bears. Once the danger has
passed, it is important to remove all traces of food from the site and to avoid creating
another site at the same location.
4.8
Hunting and trapping
Short hunting and trapping seasons organized in the early fall make it possible to reduce
the problems associated with troublesome bears. However, by opening the season early,
the fur risks being of poor quality and being unmarketable. The prime reason for harvesting
a fur-bearing animal such as a bear is to sell its fur. If this is not possible, sacrificing the
animal will be a waste.
51
5.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
5.1
Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife
Section 26
No person may disturb, destroy or damage a beaver dam or the eggs, nest or den of an
animal. A person or anyone lending him assistance may derogate from the prohibition
under the first paragraph if he cannot prevent an animal from causing damage to his
property or to property under his care or maintenance.
Section 67
No person nor anyone lending him assistance may kill or capture an animal attacking
him or causing damage to his property or property under his care or maintenance unless
he is unable to frighten the animal away or prevent it from causing damage.
Section 68
In the case provided for in section 67 or in the case of an animal that has been found or
an animal that has been killed or captured by accident, a person shall, without delay, in
the case of an animal determined by regulation:
1. if it is unharmed and alive, set it free;
2. if it is wounded or dead, declare the fact to a protection officer and, if he requires,
deliver it to him so he may confiscate it.
52
5.2
Environment Quality Act
Section 66
No one may deposit or discharge residual materials or allow residual materials to be
deposited or discharged at a place other than a site at which the storage, treatment or
elimination of residual materials is authorized by the Minister or the Government
pursuant to the provisions of this Act and the regulations.
Where residual materials have been deposited or discharged at a place other than an
authorized site, the owner, the lessee or any other person in charge of the place must
take the necessary measures to ensure that the residual materials are stored, treated or
eliminated at an authorized site.
5.3
Regulation respecting the quality of the atmosphere
Section 22
Waste: It is forbidden to burn residual materials in the open air, even to recuperate it in
part or in whole, except for limbs, trees, dead leaves, explosives and empty containers
of explosives. The presence in the environment of smoke originating from combustion
prohibited by the first paragraph is prohibited within the meaning of the second
paragraph of section 20 of the Act. This section does not apply to solid waste disposal
sites situated north of the 55th parallel, nor to those mentioned in Division X or in section
125 of the Regulation respecting solid waste.
53
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to sincerely thank all those persons who over the years have sent me
information on cases of troublesome bears or on proven means of combating damages
caused by bears in their region. These persons include the following wildlife protection
officers: Luc Bruneau of the Cabano office, Gérard Roy, Lionel Guillemette, Bernard Viel
and Donald Michaud of the Saint-Raymond office, and Pierre Valois of the Hull office. I
am also grateful to Denis Masse, warden of Parc national de la Mauricie, Michel
Hénault, biologist at the Direction de l’aménagement de la faune de la région des
Laurentides (Mont-Laurier office), and Éloi Mathieu, retired biologist (formerly assigned
to the Saint-Faustin office) for having informed me of certain events concerning bears
that were disturbed in winter. I would also like to thank Stéphane Dietrich and Dominique
de Géry of the “Matélevage” company for their invaluable advice concerning the
installation of an electric fence. Before concluding, I would like to underscore the
generous contribution of my colleagues during the final publication of this report. My
thanks also go to Gilles Lamontagne and Serge Bergeron, as well as to Jacinthe
Bouchard and Line Therrien.
54
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