What could be more frightening than walking out your door and encountering a bear in your yard? I can’t think of many more things, and this scene can be a reality for many of us living in South Carolina. Currently there are two major areas inhabited by black bears.

ne of these resident bear populations can be found in the mountains and the upper piedmont area of South Carolina, and the other area is in the coastal plain. There may be a few other unconfirmed sightings throughout South Carolina, but these two areas have the largest known populations, and as humans encroach more and more into these animal’s territory, you can be sure that bear sighting will only increase.

So, what can you do if you happen to come across a bear in your yard? The best thing to do is call someone who knows how to deal with the bear and arm yourself with the knowledge necessary to prevent any more bear encounters.

The bear facts

Usually, black bears will need large expanses of forest with a diverse tree, shrub and plant life. They need food to eat and suitable den sites. In South Carolina, bears are known to seek out the mountainous forests and wetlands to provide them with the perfect habitat. However, black bears are adaptable. Just like foxes, they are opportunistic.

They will eat anything that is available to them. Even though they tend to prefer berries, nuts and other plant, they will also eat insects and meat. If none of these are readily available, they will use their strong sense of smell to find alternative food sources such as unsecured garbage, bird feeders, leftover pet food and your gardens.

These alternative food sources can  pose a problem to many and label black bears as a nuisance or pest. The cold hard fact is that as long as a black bear has a readily available food source and a suitable den site, they will make themselves permanent residents of the area, no matter how much you do not like it.

 How to rid yourself of a black bear

Black bears love to spend their winters under decks and porches and have been known to raid gardens and trash that is not properly secured. Bird feeders, dirty grills and pet food left outside are also other sure attractants for a hungry bear. So, how do you eliminate any of these too close bear encounters?

First, you need to ensure that you do not have any unsecured food sources. Keep your yard clean and secure trash, pet food and fence in your gardens. Also, remove any suitable den sites from your property. Ensure that decks and crawl spaces are securely sealed or fenced in. If you do happen to see a black bear on your property do not approach it. Keep a safe distance because although it is rare for a bear to attack, they could easily attack and kill a human.

So, you need to remain calm and get as far away from the bear as possible. Call your local wildlife removal organization and allow them to safely and effectively deal with the bear. Never attempt to hunt a wild bear without knowing the laws and acquiring the proper licenses. It is against the law for you to hunt a bear without a license and if it is not the proper season. So, you need to be aware of your local hunting laws prior to thinking that you could easily remedy this situation by shooting the bear.

Finding an unwanted animal on your property can be a nuisance, but when that animal happens to be a bear, it can be downright frightening. Most of us may find ourselves in full blown panic mode and not know how to handle this type of situation. The best option to ridding yourself of this problem would be to call in someone who knows how to safely and properly handle this wild animal.