greenstorm (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
greenstorm) wrote2019-09-16 10:33 am
greenstorm) wrote2019-09-16 10:33 am
Entry tags:
Mama
Ok, here's the bear saga.
I went to camp for work for three days. A bear got into my yard, broke into my greenhouse, and ate my chicken feed for three days. She got real used to being on my property. For some reason my dogs didn't chase it off.
I got back, saw the damage, did what I could to the back electric fence, spiked the front wood fence where it was climbing over, and... came back to find this year's bear cub in my apple tree the first night back. I bear sprayed it about the time Tucker was saying "there's another bear behind you".
That was mama bear, and I was nearly out of bear spray.
THAT'S why the dogs had been hiding inside. They were outnumbered.
With a bunch of yelling and rake-beating we chased them off. They came back a couple times that night and were chased off again - generally while trying to get into the carport where I'd moved the remaining feed.
The next night they were trying to get into the carport and we treed them. They got real high up an aspen tree and stayed there a good long time while I made it as unpleasant for them as possible. Sometimes I wish my deepl fertile clay soil had more rocks to throw. I honked the horn, shone lights, but couldn't bear spray because they were too high up the tree.
They came back again that night once or twice.
The following couple nights they've stayed outside the fence for the most part: the dogs are getting their mojo back and barking, and I'm careful to go outside when they bark and yell and shine lights so they feel they have backup.
Animal control may be coming to euthanize them/mama, since breaking into structures is not a good trait in a country bear.
I have not had a full full night's sleep in awhile.
Last night someone got into the back yard - the pigs were all staring at it - but Thea chased it off. I think it is the other, better behaved bear that lives in the neighbourhood.
I have a much bigger electric fencer and a bunch of perimeter work to do; I need to look up local rules on electric on the outside of a fence. Does it need signage?
It's definitely my first live use of bear spray on a bear. My apple trees are demolished, essentially just stumps, and I never got ripe fruit off them. Hopefully some talking with the conservation officer can help me figure out how to prevent this in the future; I'd assumed a glass greenhouse with perimeter fencing and dogs was secure.
Do I need a third dog?
Anyhow, exciting times.
I went to camp for work for three days. A bear got into my yard, broke into my greenhouse, and ate my chicken feed for three days. She got real used to being on my property. For some reason my dogs didn't chase it off.
I got back, saw the damage, did what I could to the back electric fence, spiked the front wood fence where it was climbing over, and... came back to find this year's bear cub in my apple tree the first night back. I bear sprayed it about the time Tucker was saying "there's another bear behind you".
That was mama bear, and I was nearly out of bear spray.
THAT'S why the dogs had been hiding inside. They were outnumbered.
With a bunch of yelling and rake-beating we chased them off. They came back a couple times that night and were chased off again - generally while trying to get into the carport where I'd moved the remaining feed.
The next night they were trying to get into the carport and we treed them. They got real high up an aspen tree and stayed there a good long time while I made it as unpleasant for them as possible. Sometimes I wish my deepl fertile clay soil had more rocks to throw. I honked the horn, shone lights, but couldn't bear spray because they were too high up the tree.
They came back again that night once or twice.
The following couple nights they've stayed outside the fence for the most part: the dogs are getting their mojo back and barking, and I'm careful to go outside when they bark and yell and shine lights so they feel they have backup.
Animal control may be coming to euthanize them/mama, since breaking into structures is not a good trait in a country bear.
I have not had a full full night's sleep in awhile.
Last night someone got into the back yard - the pigs were all staring at it - but Thea chased it off. I think it is the other, better behaved bear that lives in the neighbourhood.
I have a much bigger electric fencer and a bunch of perimeter work to do; I need to look up local rules on electric on the outside of a fence. Does it need signage?
It's definitely my first live use of bear spray on a bear. My apple trees are demolished, essentially just stumps, and I never got ripe fruit off them. Hopefully some talking with the conservation officer can help me figure out how to prevent this in the future; I'd assumed a glass greenhouse with perimeter fencing and dogs was secure.
Do I need a third dog?
Anyhow, exciting times.