Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

Bears and Honeybees

7K views 18 replies 18 participants last post by  berkshire bee 
#1 ·
#4 ·
That's depressing. I have done a lot of research on bear fencing. And the recommended guide lines is at least on joule preferable two. Low impedance charger, rotate between hot and ground on the strands, Preferably aluminum wire more conductivity and chicken wire around the bottom connected to the ground if possible. They Say if don't don't do that you are pretty much just pissing the bear off. I have never had that problem and hope I don't! The equiptment isn't mine but it breaks my heart.
 
#6 ·
Oh man; really sorry MP.
I was wondering if a motion detecting alarm and light would be easier to use and maybe more productive than a fence. It seems I have heard so much about bear fences not working very well. I know the damage bears can do as I moved here from Alaska. They were always getting into things.

Dogs barking, sharp loud noises, and human voices yelling seemed to affect them. If someone found a way to make battery operated, solar charged, motion detecting, recordable noise machines; with a built in flame thrower, siren, and flashing strobe lights. Beeks just might by them. :)
 
#8 ·
That's no good.

I'm not going to be one of those guys that checks regulations for out of state hunters, airfare and calendar then jumps on this as an opportunity to ask to be invited for a bear hunt while offering to bring his responsible son to also remove a bear and if successful give you the offenders head prepared for display by www.legacyskull.com . Nope not my style.
I would of course say yes if you offered.
 
#9 ·
I live in bear country. And am a very avid beekeeper, Your 3 wire fence will not due. In many instances the fur on a bear is dense enough that if they can get their heads in past their ears they are in . the bare minimum is 4 wires and 5 is better, strung tightly no more than 10 inches apart. With 3 of the 5 being hot and two ground wires configured so that they go down the pole hot, ground, hot, ground, hot. I consider that to be the minimum. And prefer welded hog panels I place 2’ water pile over the T post to insulate the panels from ground. I then clamp the panels to the post with muffler clamps. I use solar chargers with built in battery back up. In some areas I have had to erect stockade fences within the electric fence. If bear learn to associate bee hives with a free meal. they will work at getting to them. The very best method is to erect stands by your apiaries and wait for hunting season. Here the fish and wildlife do not consider bee yards as baiting Good luck I feel for you…
 
#11 ·
I've seen bears beat the truck that hauled them back from what seemed like 50 miles. (may have been 25 as the crow flies) I don't think you can haul them far enough.

Now if you mean "Rambo style" take them out....... :)
 
#14 ·
I suspect for commercial beeks elaborate tactics are out of the question, even shooting them is not worth the time that could be spent in more productive work. If I were commercial I would note the location of the outyard and not return until there was a good likelihood that the bear had died of old age or been shot. What is that? 5 years, 10 years in an average hunting zone.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Really sorry to see that Mike. What a mess! It looks like, it, or they, spent quite a bit of time there.

Last weekend I rescued what was left of only one hive that a bear tore up. Fair number of bees but no visible queen. No one had been into the hive in about 5 years. It was so propolized that all three boxes were still stuck together after rolling 25 yards downhill. All the frames in the upper and lower box were torn out.
 
#16 ·
Hey Mike. Sorry to see all that damage. Did you contact the game warden? Technically the state is liable for damage that their bear caused. They are supposed to pay for damages, although I have never managed to get a check out of them.
Last year they were urging hunters to shoot more bears because the population in Vt. is the largest ever documented. This year they are charging $5 for a bear tag, that has always been free? Talk about shoot yourself in the foot. Good Luck
 
#18 ·
Oh wow. That's just total devastating destruction. I feel so bad for this beekeeper!

This is, however, one thing I can be thankful for as an urban beekeeper. It's been hard to find the positives at times of trying to keep bees in the city...but at least I don't need to worry about bears!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top