No Loin, or Tigers, but BEARS oh my.

[sugarbush]

I don't know if anybody here has ever had to deal with bears, but here are what we have to do in order to keep them out of some hives I manage in Vermont.

I have been assisting with keeping bees on this property for the last 6 years, the first couple of years went fine, but then we started having bear problems. The first attack he wiped out 5 hives and then a few days later got a 6th one, we were able to salvage the 6th and quickly moved it several miles away.

The owners of this property have apple trees so they like having the bees around. some hives were placed out of reach of the bear on the roof of a shed.

 

[sugarbush]

This was effective for a couple of years, but presented a couple of new problems, foremost being the bees dying from exposure in the winter being up off the ground and exposed to the wind.

Then last week the bear figured out how to climb the shed. Sorry the pic is sideways, notice the claw marks in the shed. This hive was just started in June and he completely wiped out all of the comb.

 

[sugarbush]

About 200 yards from the shed we keep a few more hives, they have had electric fence around them and so far the bear has not touched them. I have messed with electric fence previously with mixed results, this time it is a woven electric netting that cannot be penetrated without getting a shock..... fingers are crossed that it will work.

So the Law here differs State to State. Some states you cannot shoot the offending bear. some states you can. Vermont will allow you to shoot the bear if your hives are fenced and you shoot it within the boundaries of the fence. So I spent the weekend expanding the area of the fence and clearing a shooting lane from the house to the beeyard.

If the bear is caught inside the fence between now and Sept 1st he will become a nice rug and some sausage. But bear season opens Sept 1st, hunting a bear is tough, but we will give it a valiant effort.

 

[beeatshellards]

the only bears we have in England are the teddy bear type .. unless theyre in a zoo:

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Blimey, and we get worried about brer woodpecker!

 

[For want of a better word]

Glad we only get badger and the occasional wild boar to worry about!

Cousin in Ontario plays his banjo to drive away bears!

(related by marriage... we do NOT share the same gene pool!!!!)

 

[huntsman666]

Thankfully in Ireland we have none of those problems. We have badgers but they aren't a problem.

No bears, no green woodpeckers, no hornets.

With regards to the damage to the sides of the shed, can I suggest you screw/nail on some boards with lots of nails facing outwards.

 

[kazmcc]

Wow!! Makes our woodpecker problems pale into comparison

Great photos of how beekeeping is done in other countries

 

[sugarbush]

With regards to the damage to the sides of the shed, can I suggest you screw/nail on some boards with lots of nails facing outwards.

When I took the sideways pic we are in the process of running an electric wire around the shed, that is what the black insulators you see in the pics are for, but the hives on the roof are now empty and we will not be repopulating them until spring, so we put more effort into strengthening the defenses of the other hives as they now will undoubtedly be the bears target.

 

[madasafish]

I go round my garden sprinkling a special potion - a secret formula I will only divulge for a large sum of money - cash only - PM me for details of my Cayman Islands bank account.

It's guaranteed to keep the following wild animals away from any hive in England: bears, elk, caribou, elephants, lions and tigers, and dinosaurs. Works 100%...

 

[newportbuzz]

I go round my garden sprinkling a special potion - a secret formula I will only divulge for a large sum of money - cash only - PM me for details of my Cayman Islands bank account.

It's guaranteed to keep the following wild animals away from any hive in England: bears, elk, caribou, elephants, lions and tigers, and dinosaurs. Works 100%...

even if the circus is in town?

 

[hombal]

But but but...you can't shoot the happy bear? You wouldn't do it.

 

[sugarbush]

But but but...you can't shoot the happy bear? You wouldn't do it.

A bear that has lost it's fear of humans is a dangerous bear. These hives are not out in the wilds of Alaska, this is small town New England. There are children (including my 3 year old) and people pets around and once the bear finishes with our hives we are only guessing what will be next.

There was a time when a bear like this would get relocated, but the state does not have the budget for those programs anymore....

We went a full season without bear problems, the previous problem bear is no longer of this world, this one, unfortunately is destined for the same fate.

 

[Winker]

You cant shoot yogi, its not his fault you leave yumy honey lying around. What will bobo do if yogi is dead

I understand they are a danger to humans, but its only due to the fact you have honey around. Yogi is just being Yogi and doing what yogi does best.

I hope the electric wire works. Look what they do in Africa to keep the elephants out, they use bees. Surly there has to be a better way than killing Yogi

 

[dpearce4]

If i were to have the same problems with bears i wouldnt hesitate in shooting them. I have problems with foxes and my chooks, i have looked at humane ways of dealing with those, but to no avail. If i have to i will dispatch the foxes. I know its nature but when you lose 30% of ur stock it becomes very expensive to carry on that is business.

 

[Winker]

If i were to have the same problems with bears i wouldnt hesitate in shooting them. I have problems with foxes and my chooks, i have looked at humane ways of dealing with those, but to no avail. If i have to i will dispatch the foxes. I know its nature but when you lose 30% of ur stock it becomes very expensive to carry on that is business.

I grew up on Yogi bear and Basil Brush! Shame on you

 

[dpearce4]

I grew up on Yogi bear and Basil Brush! Shame on you

god i remeber Basil. in my mind brush was the right name he should have been turned into one. BOOM BOOM

 

[sugarbush]

I hope the electric wire works. Look what they do in Africa to keep the elephants out, they use bees. Surly there has to be a better way than killing Yogi

If we had a hot hive it would probably teach him a quick lesson, but I don't have a hot hive available right now.

I wasn't trying to sound like a trigger happy arrogant American. I am an avid hunter, but only hunt bears out of necessity. My game of choice is deer and partridge.

The death of this bear will not be unjustified. He has been in peoples trash and in a neighbors grain bins lately as well as a local bird feeder. There are plenty of berries in the woods right now, but he is choosing not to stay in the woods.

It is a fair chase... If he stays where he belongs he will live, come where he doesn't and he takes the chance of becoming sausage.

 

[TBRNoTB]

If we had a hot hive it would probably teach him a quick lesson, but I don't have a hot hive available right now.

I wasn't trying to sound like a trigger happy arrogant American. I am an avid hunter, but only hunt bears out of necessity. My game of choice is deer and partridge.

The death of this bear will not be unjustified. He has been in peoples trash and in a neighbors grain bins lately as well as a local bird feeder. There are plenty of berries in the woods right now, but he is choosing not to stay in the woods.
It is a fair chase... If he stays where he belongs he will live, come where he doesn't and he takes the chance of becoming sausage.

What the hell doe's bear sausage taste like? (besides bear) what's similar?

 

[dpearce4]

what is bear sausage like? what other cuts of meat do you get from it aswell? i wonder if the meat is sweet due to the honey its been eating, like salt marsh lamb and beef have a slight salty taste due to the amount they ingest when eating the grass.