A bear ate my garbage

[ChrisJM981 924]

...and I think some of the can. The mrs. heard something around an hour ago, and woke me up thinking someone was trying to break in. It was eating my garbage and backed against the garage door. That's the first bear I've seen in the area since moving here 2 years ago. I called the police, as I was unsure of what to do (since I can't shoot it). He suggested keeping the garbage in the garage. I took a picture with my cell phone, but it was zoomed in, and came out blurry.

[ChrisJM981 924]

Any tips on keeping down the odor would be greatly appreciated. If I have to keep it inside I don't want the garage to stink and potentially invite a bear in. Then I'd have to shoot it.

[fishnut 2,358]

freeze all the stinky stuff and put the frozen block in the garbage can the day it gets picked up. When I lived in an area with allot of bears this is what I did till I built an bear proof can enclosure and it helped, but my friend that lives near Merrill creek has tried everything (ammonia, freezing, bear resistant can, ect) the only thing that has helped allot was a motion activated water sprinkler. Still he ended up building a garbage can enclosure because the sprinkler did not work all the time. Its not the greatest idea to put the garbage in your garage because a hungry bear could break in, or at least try and claw the crap out of everything. 

[ChrisJM981 924]

Its not the greatest idea to put the garbage in your garage because a hungry bear could break in, or at least try and claw the crap out of everything.

That was my concern as well.

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

A Bearicuda trash can always kept the bears away when I lived in the country. Now I live in suburbia and it keeps out the racoons.

 

http://www.bearicuda.com/critter-can/animal-proof-garbage-cans.php

[junkmanted 54]

pour bleach in the bags . And no need to bother the cops with it eating your trash. 

I lived in Jefferson for 18 years and it was a daily thing, 

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

Put all your garbage right in front of your neighbor Mohammed's house.

After all, bears are not hallal ... oh wait ...

[T Bill 649]

Do not put garbage in the garage.  I can show you a picture of what happen to that garage door when they get a wiff of the garbage.  Garbage bears have learned the big round container next to the house is a source of food, so they go house to house.  Have one that would show up on garbage night and just walk up and down the street. 

 

Ammonia pored over the garbage regularly proved to a valuable deterrent.  Loud "noisemakers" can also help recondition bad bear habits, but that depends on your neighbors.

[ChrisJM981 924]

Ammonia pored over the garbage regularly proved to a valuable deterrent. Loud "noisemakers" can also help recondition bad bear habits, but that depends on your neighbors.

Do I pour it over the can or over the bag in the can?

[fishnut 2,358]

Funny I was just talking with a friend who lives in the Shenandoah valley in VA and her bear proof garbage can enclosure was getting hit every night by a big bear. She was afraid the bear was going to eventually break into it. Since she lives in free America where she can be trusted with bear spray and had a few outdated cans, she smeared one of the aerosol cans with peanut butter and left it in front of the enclosure. Next day she found an empty punctured bear spray can and the bear has not been back in 3 weeks lol

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I think we can get bear spray here.  They should have it at Dick's.  Heck even order online.  

[ChrisJM981 924]

Going to check out Ramsey Outdoor.

[Malsua 1,422]

Do I pour it over the can or over the bag in the can?

 

For what it's worth, I've been dealing with bears for 20 years.  

 

I have a screw on top bear can although the cans with the flip latches and clips work as well.

 

The _only_ time bears get into my can is when I don't add Ammonia.  Bleach works as well, and in fact, I like bleach better, but it gets on your clothes(and probably the garbage man's as well) and eff's 'em up.  It smells clean to me, but bad for the bears.

 

I pour a splash in the base of the can.   I put in the bag, open.  I pour some in the open bag, tie it shut(the bulk goes into the open bag).   I then put a splash on the bag.   I put the lid on, and pour a splash on the lid.

 

A gallon lasts me probably 6 months.   That's 26 weeks and about 5 ounces per week.  

 

I've had periods where I thought I could get away with not using Ammonia, early on...this lasted  a month or less...the bear ravaged the can.  I use VERY little from October through the start of March and use more from the end of March through September.  I rarely or never see bears from October through March.

[ChrisJM981 924]

Thank Mark.

[mipafox 438]

That's not a bear, that's a Bigfoot. You can tell by how blurry he is.

 

Funny I was just talking with a friend who lives in the Shenandoah valley in VA and her bear proof garbage can enclosure was getting hit every night by a big bear. She was afraid the bear was going to eventually break into it. Since she lives in free America where she can be trusted with bear spray and had a few outdated cans, she smeared one of the aerosol cans with peanut butter and left it in front of the enclosure. Next day she found an empty punctured bear spray can and the bear has not been back in 3 weeks lol

That's great!

 

I think we can get bear spray here. They should have it at Dick's. Heck even order online.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr...

[SmittyMHS 603]

Moth balls work also. Crushed red pepper will teach them Its not worth the effort. Sprinkle on top of the lid and inside.

[fishnut 2,358]

I think we can get bear spray here.  They should have it at Dick's.  Heck even order online.  

I believe it still falls under the 3/4oz rule. No bear spray is that small as far as I know. I do know that you can definitely order it online and have it shipped to NJ but that don't make it legal.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I believe it still falls under the 3/4oz rule. No bear spray is that small as far as I know. I do know that you can definitely order it online and have it shipped to NJ but that don't make it legal.

 

It's bear spray not pepper spray. 

[fishnut 2,358]

Bear spray is pepper spray, the ones I err ummm have (allegedly) are anyway. They are just a large can of pepper spray

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Bear spray is pepper spray, the ones I err ummm have (allegedly) are anyway. They are just a large can of pepper spray

 

Yes but with a much lower % of OC

[Vlad G 345]

This is NJ, I'm surprised someone didn't ticket you for feeding the bears yet

[louu 399]

Dead fall pit. 

[mipafox 438]

Blood Agent.

 

"Oh, gee, I wonder what he got into in my garbage?"

[302w 83]

Funny I was just talking with a friend who lives in the Shenandoah valley in VA and her bear proof garbage can enclosure was getting hit every night by a big bear. She was afraid the bear was going to eventually break into it. Since she lives in free America where she can be trusted with bear spray and had a few outdated cans, she smeared one of the aerosol cans with peanut butter and left it in front of the enclosure. Next day she found an empty punctured bear spray can and the bear has not been back in 3 weeks lol

You've gone a little..uhm.. PETA on members in the past so I'm a bit surprised you posted this.

[ChrisJM981 924]

He got the guy's can at end of the street. Apparently there has been a bear recently spotted multiple times across the road from him at the apartment buildings. I guess it was slim pickings at the dumpster buffet, so he wandered down our street. I didn't have ammonia, so I hit the can & bag inside and out with bleach. Hopefully that will act as a deterrent.

 

I accidentally zoomed in when I took the picture.

[fishnut 2,358]

You've gone a little..uhm.. PETA on members in the past so I'm a bit surprised you posted this.

it's only pepper spray it's not going to hurt a bear. Half the residents down there shoot the bears in the lungs and let them run off and die so this is a much better method. Yes I am all for animal rights and respecting all animals lives but I am not brainwashed like PETA members. I am a hunter and fishermen and I don't drive a hybrid lol