Need a "bear expert"

[trapper_dave]

Here's my timeline:
Friday eve.: Went into a yard and found bear damage.
Sat.: Went back to the yard and put it all back together.
Sun: Day off - Amazing!
Monday night.: Went back and installed electric fence.
Bear had visited either Saturday or Sunday
Tuesday eve.: Went back to inspect fence. Someone smashed the face of the fencer between midnight Monday and Tuesday 7pm. (Fencer still working)
Wednesday night: Went back to inspect yard. Still no visit from the bear yet.

When I installed the fence, I smeared bacon grease on all four strands all the way around the fence. Now the question: Is it possible the bear came back and smashed the fencer (no bite marks on the wires) and learned about electricity? Or is it obvious that some jerk visited my yard?

Hmm?
Dave

[Sambee]

My father had a fencer that was visited by bears, they targeted the actual unit that created the charge on the fence, turned out it was making a low ticking sound, and they zeroed in on it. They never did get to the hives, but they smashed the heck out of the unit, apparently once it stopped ticking they left. It was definately bear though, did you check for hairs? In my experience the larger the animal the more sign they leave. I guess if you had found any hair in the grease stuck to the wires then I would conclude they got a jolt and left.
Humans don't typically mess with electricity voluntarily either, unless you have someone in mind to fit the part, I would think that most jerks would find another way to be jerky than to risk electrocution.

[loggermike]

Was your fencer outside the fence?
All of ours are inside the fence in old hive boxes. In more than 30 years of using bear fences, never had one bother the fencer,even the few times they got through a fence.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Years ago we heard of an incident of bear hunters vandalizing a yard to attract bears. Don't think they actually broke the fencer, though.
Sheri

[randydrivesabus]

loggermike-how do you turn off the fence charger without getting shocked?

[loggermike]

Well, all of our fences have a gate with insulated handles. Just unhook the top wire, step over the fence and unhook a battery clip.If we are just going to be in the yard a little while, we don't usually bother turning off the fence.
By the way if we have a particularly mean hive, we like to put it real close to the charger;)

[trapper_dave]

By the way if we have a particularly mean hive, we like to put it real close to the charger;)

OK Loggermike - you get the prize - that's the best advice I've heard so far.

Dave

[Beeslave]

Trapper Dave,
When you say bear damage please explain how you found the hives. A bear will tip over the hive and pull frames out and run off with them. Vandals just tip them over. Thiefs will remove just frames and replace lid, take whole supers, and full colonies.

[trapper_dave]

Or cut the fence and steal the fencer unit!

Just happened the other day. ):

What a bummer!

[Beeslave]

Attach the fencer to a hive so they(thiefs) have to anger the bees to get it off.

[loggermike]

>>steal the fencer unit!
Sorry to hear that. I figure sooner or later some low life will get around to stealing mine. Good fencers and deep cycle batteries aren't cheap.
I know some beeks that set a single story hive on the lid of the charger box. I did that a couple of times. The bees always seemed a bit agitated from the clicking of the charger unit:)
I even saw one fence where the charger and battery were buried.That seemed a bit of overkill to me.

[JPK]

If you're curious or really want to know whats going on then get yourself a game camera and set it up in an inconspicuous place where it will get a couple of pics of whatever is going on.