The bear necessities of living in bear country

Take down bird feeders when bears are active. Secure garbage cans left outside, and never leave pet food or trash on porches, screened-in or otherwise.

This here is bear country. In fact, Connecticut has an unusually high rate of bear home entries compared with neighboring states. So far this year, the state has documented more than 60 home entries, and bears have been spotted in all 169 towns and cities.

Bears are also part of life in neighboring Dutchess County. But don’t worry. It’s not as bad as it sounds.

The first thing to know is that we only have black bears round these parts. Black bears are generally not aggressive toward humans, although they are wild animals and can behave unpredictably. Even in autumn, when bears are actively bulking up for hibernation, attacks on humans are very rare. Luckily, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, has tips and tricks for living safely and comfortably in bear country.

If you see a bear from your car, stay inside and enjoy nature’s majesty from a safe distance. Give the bear plenty of room and never approach it.

If you encounter a bear while outside, additional caution should be taken. Do not approach or corner it. DEEP recommends “hazing,” or scaring a bear away, in certain circumstances.

Leave the bear alone if you are in its habitat, it is already running away or climbing a tree, it is a lone cub, or scaring it could drive it toward people, dogs or traffic.

If a bear lingers in your yard or another developed area, however, hazing may be appropriate, but first get children and pets inside.

The best way to scare a bear is to make eye contact, get big and get loud. If you have a whistle or air horn, use it. Pots and pans can also do the trick.

Barring those instruments, your hands and voice can work wonders. Clap loudly and yell firmly.

If a bear enters your house, keep your distance and back away. Next, open as many doors and windows as possible to give the bear an easy escape route. Again, do not approach the bear.

Making sure your home is not actively attracting bears in the first place is even better. Take down bird feeders when bears are active. Secure garbage cans left outside, and never leave pet food or trash on porches, screened-in or otherwise. And make sure you pack away those pick-a-nic baskets.

Contact wildlife authorities if a bear is highly agitated, sick or injured, approaches people or does not leave after hazing. In Connecticut, call DEEP’s 24-hour emergency dispatch line at 860-424-3333. In Dutchess County, contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at(518)402-8044.