Thwarted bear

[pbuhler]

We've had a black bear roaming around being a pest. S/he finally found my hive and tried to get in. I had strapped it to a pallet with a webbed "Thule" car top strap, and this seemed to slow the critter down enough. S/he got the strap off leaving some tooth and claw marks on the boxes and lid, but gave up once the hive was opened - I don't know why. Anyway, I added a second strap perpendicular to the first and hope this also keeps the hive intact. Of course this critter is getting bigger and hungrier so I'm developing "plan B" - either a chain link fenced area or moving the hive into a nearby shed. Since the bear is bothering other neighbors too, the problem may just be solved by someone else.

[wannabeekeeper]

We live next to state forest land with a pretty healthy black bear population. I have worried that they will find my hives.

[ENCRickey]

plan "B" should be dead bear :thumbsup:

[Tom G. Laury]

Leaving bee colonies unprotected without electric fence in bear country is simply baiting them.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Tom is right. I tell people again and again up here that it is a waste of time and resources trying to keep bears out by force. Plus after fortifying their colonies like Fort Knox it takes the beek a couple hours to get into them themselves.:D The simple solution is an electric fence.
Sheri

[pbuhler]

I installed an electic fence today with two foot surrounding space beyond the pallet sides - I still have the hive strapped to the pallet since it isn't a big deal to get the straps on and off. I used 3 strands of webbed wire, some peanut butter and an AC fence charger with an easy to reach (for me) on/off switch near the gated side. Got a pretty good spark when I tested it. We"ll see. Thanks for the shared opinions and advise. Paul

[Paraplegic Racehorse]

Don't recall exactly where I found it but one of the state Fish & Game departments published a paper suggesting using partially inflated balloons with some ammonia inside and baited with peanut butter or honey. Apparently, bears don't like it when their faces get covered in ammonia (can you blame them? Yuck!).

[pbuhler]

As I worked in the fence, I decided to close up the lower spacing to about 6" and added two more strands for a total of 5 so that this fence might discourage skunks, etc. too. Of course I added a "Caution Electric Fence" sign so that any varmints have fair warning. :D

[DRUR]

Buddy of mine had a neighbor whose cow kept getting out into his garden. Set up a regular electric fence and they walked right through it to get his vituals. He set up a special treat (think it was called neon light transformer). I was over there when the bull leading his harem walked up (and my buddy then flipped the switch) and the bull stuck his nose to the fence. He stood with his nose attached to the fence standing for about 5 seconds then fell to the ground bawling like a newborn calf. The cows stopped and watched but came no closer. After a short while, he flipped the switch back off and the bull hops up and runs off. He claims they never came back to his garden again.

[Paraplegic Racehorse]

Buddy of mine had a neighbor whose cow kept getting out into his garden. Set up a regular electric fence and they walked right through it to get his vituals. He set up a special treat (think it was called neon light transformer).

Ah, yeah. That's the difference between commercially available fence-chargers (most max out at 6-8k volts) and neon light transformers (often 15k+ volts and much higher amperages).

Great story, though. :)

[pchelovod]

Buddy of mine had a neighbor whose cow kept getting out into his garden. Set up a regular electric fence and they walked right through it to get his vituals. He set up a special treat (think it was called neon light transformer). I was over there when the bull leading his harem walked up (and my buddy then flipped the switch) and the bull stuck his nose to the fence. He stood with his nose attached to the fence standing for about 5 seconds then fell to the ground bawling like a newborn calf. The cows stopped and watched but came no closer. After a short while, he flipped the switch back off and the bull hops up and runs off. He claims they never came back to his garden again.

I'm surprised the bull didn't turn into electric barbecue. When I was a teenager, a friend of mine had a neon light transformer. Our parents never knew it, but we played with it off and on in his back yard for years. It looked deadly-- the two wires coming off the transformer would shoot a bright, steady arc eight or ten inches wide. It was a miracle none of us got killed.