Living in Grizzly Country

[grfox92]

You guys were so helpful in my wood burning thread that I figure I could get some good guidance here on this topic.

I'm building my house in Wyoming 25 miles outside of Yellowstone in Grizzly central.

The bears seem to be getting worse every year. I've never heard of anyone getting attacked or even having an encounter around their house.

I have 2 kids and that's the only part that really worries me.

We plan on getting a dog or 2.

What type of precautions do those of you who live in bear country take?

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[wytx]

I would say electric fence perhaps, but we live in Laramie so our issues are way different. We need a fence to keep the college kids from stealing our stuff.

 

[VernAK]

Don't leave dog food outside and remove all garbage or other bear attractants.

If your shopping for a dog, get a karelian.

 

[johnsd16]

Second place on the Karelian. Just don’t try to take food away from it!

 

[wyosam]

We've got a second home in the same situation. No issues yet, and several of our neighbors have zero bear sense. We do have bears come through and eat their garbage and other attractants from time to time. Then Game and Fish traps and moves the bears. Then those food conditioned bears get in more trouble and get killed. I kind of wish G&F would just trap and relocate a few of my neighbors. Our primary home is on the edge of grizzly habitat. We see them occasionally, we do a see black bears fairly regularly. Again no issues. I tend to think more about the millions of people with no common sense that visit the area every year without a bear incident than the small handful that do.

Get a dog, make good choices, and enjoy your new home!

 

[Mt Al]

Don't leave dog food outside and remove all garbage or other bear attractants.

A good friend of mine has a pretty decent spread in a place you'd think would be at the very edge of griz country in Wyoming - who then sends a picture of a huge grizzly at the outside edge of his (very large) yard! They take the above advice very seriously, zero food or attractants of any kind. Garbage stays inside the garage until it's time to take it out. Nothing left on the BBQ. They have a few old apple trees that are coming out. When they plant close to the house, it's a tree that will have zero low branches, zero cover near the house. They let the dogs out before they go out when it's early or late.

They love it, I'm sure you will too. Adds an element of awesomeness to being there!

 

[VernAK]

If you do have a bear visit your place, you must provide it with an unpleasant experience if not killing it. Whether it be pepper spray, or electric shock or even a non-lethal shot, it must be deterred from returning. In the past I used spray cans of starting fluid with bacon grease or jam applied to the outside or under the cap. One bite and he's deterred!. Friends recently did the same with an retired can of bear spray [pepper] and it really did the job.

 

[grfox92]

Don't leave dog food outside and remove all garbage or other bear attractants.

If your shopping for a dog, get a karelian.

We are looking at Norwegian Elk hounds. Not a bear dog, but a fierce protector and hunting dog.

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[nrh6.7]

If your shopping for a dog, get a karelian.

Had to look this breed up...never heard of them. Interesting dog!

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I lived in Kodiak AK for 3 years. A bear that scored just outside B&C top ten was killed by a friend a little over 500 yards from where we lived. I had hunted him for a while but had never seen him. There were a number of hiking trails and jeep trails that passed through his territory. I never heard a report of anyone seeing him. I wouldn't worry too much about them in your situation OP. Normal precautions.

Far be it from me to recommend this, but a Caucasian might be the right dog for you...if you have enough money in the budget to feed it. https://boredomtherapy.com/caucasian-mountain-dogs/

 

[alexanderg23]

Get some real dogs.

 

[Elk97]

All good suggestions above. Also, no bird feeders. If you put up electric fence for bears, tie some strips of bacon on the wire. We did this when we had honeybees in bear areas. Zaps them on the tongue, they don't come back. Enjoy WY.

 

[grfox92]

I lived in Kodiak AK for 3 years. A bear that scored just outside B&C top ten was killed by a friend a little over 500 yards from where we lived. I had hunted him for a while but had never seen him. There were a number of hiking trails and jeep trails that passed through his territory. I never heard a report of anyone seeing him. I wouldn't worry too much about them in your situation OP. Normal precautions.

Far be it from me to recommend this, but a Caucasian might be the right dog for you...if you have enough money in the budget to feed it. https://boredomtherapy.com/caucasian-mountain-dogs/

That's too much dog for me haha

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[Fartrell Cluggins]

That's too much dog for me haha

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Well, if you ever got into Bison hunting, they could fetch it for you.

 

[kid44]

Eh, just get each of your kids a .45-70.

 

[kid44]

If you do have a bear visit your place, you must provide it with an unpleasant experience if not killing it. Whether it be pepper spray, or electric shock or even a non-lethal shot, it must be deterred from returning. In the past I used spray cans of starting fluid with bacon grease or jam applied to the outside or under the cap. One bite and he's deterred!. Friends recently did the same with an retired can of bear spray [pepper] and it really did the job.

I understand the deterrents, but a non-lethal shot can cause serious problems for the bear and lead to a prolonged, agonizing death for the bear, even if you intended it to be "non-lethal".

 

[Scrappy]

I lived in Kodiak AK for 3 years. A bear that scored just outside B&C top ten was killed by a friend a little over 500 yards from where we lived. I had hunted him for a while but had never seen him. There were a number of hiking trails and jeep trails that passed through his territory. I never heard a report of anyone seeing him. I wouldn't worry too much about them in your situation OP. Normal precautions.

Far be it from me to recommend this, but a Caucasian might be the right dog for you...if you have enough money in the budget to feed it. https://boredomtherapy.com/caucasian-mountain-dogs/

Your neighbor would shoot It thinking he was killing a grizzly.

 

[VernAK]

I understand the deterrents, but a non-lethal shot can cause serious problems for the bear and lead to a prolonged, agonizing death for the bear, even if you intended it to be "non-lethal".

I suspect we live far apart!