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Dog kennel to keep bears out

15K views 15 replies 15 participants last post by  KQ6AR 
#1 ·
New beekeeper is wondering if he could put his two hives in a wire 10x20 dog kennel. Would this obstruct the bees flight?
 
#3 ·
If a dog kennel will keep a bear out, I'll eat it. But it won't obstruct the bee flight. I wouldn't recommend a dog kennel. Try a 10 foot brick or cement wall.
 
#5 ·
I use a dog kennel to protect a few of my hives. No problems at all. I would recommend chaining it down. I placed large metal stakes at each corner and used 1/2 chain to chain the kennel to the stakes. This way if the bear were to attempt to move or disturb the kennel it would not move much and hopefully deter from the hives.
 
#6 ·
i have bears i , i know because i have seen them. i have an electric. does it keep them out i dont know. in combanation with the fence, through the season i always leave my shirt or t shirt hanging in a bush, or tree, or on a nail on the barn near the hives. always changeing the place or posision of the shirt or t. trying to always leave the impresion and scent to any animal comeing around that i am there. when i was a kid my father yoused to always leave his t shirt on the handle of the shovel in the garden in a different place every day he would work in the garden. he said it helped to keep the deer out. so i practice that in my bee yard . so far i have not had a visit from any bears. so far the biggest danger to my bees are ME. :)
 
#8 ·
I have had trouble with bears at one of my locations. We did exactly this, a 6 x 8 kennel that was staked to the ground and screwed into the adjacent barn. I don't feel it is bear 'proof' but it hopefully works long enough until the dogs get out to bark at it. Three years now and no trouble with the bears yet (knock on wood). I have not seen any issues with the flight path. If you are tall you might find it too short. Mine is 6' tall and so am I so I bump my head inside on it a lot. Got it off Craig's list.
John
 
#9 · (Edited)
A couple of years ago there was an article in Bee Culture about Zia Bees who have a queen rearing operation in AZ and MI. In MI they used the same galvanized fencing that is used with dog fences and it was framed with posts and sank two feet in the ground, no electric fence. They said it worked because when bees (oops I meant bears!) tried to climb or pull on it their claws would get stuck in between the wires and it distressed them.
 
#15 ·
I would second that a freestanding chain link would be very little deterrent. It might help if there were LOTS of other things for the bear to feed on, sort of a "well this fence will take me 10 minutes but the trash can 200 yards down is smelling good too...". But a determined bear will get through very easily. Electrify or reinforce a-la Zia, or both. Our bears amaze me with their determination and strength, and we just have little black bears!
 
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