Bears in backyard in residential neighborhood - Ask Extension
Hello, I’m nearly 100% sure this scat belongs to bears. In the last 2 nights, something hopped over two sets of fencing and decimated my entire vege...
Knowledgebase
Bears in backyard in residential neighborhood #876811
Asked July 11, 2024, 11:39 AM EDT
Hello, I’m nearly 100% sure this scat belongs to bears. In the last 2 nights, something hopped over two sets of fencing and decimated my entire vegetable garden and stripped the lower branches of my columnar apple trees and left 3-4 piles of poop.
I’m terrified now regarding my dog’s safety. Can you advise me of any method to deter bears from returning? Is there any repellent or fencing I can try around my raised boxes to keep them out?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Unfortunately scat ID is outside of the realm of our expertise, but you can inquire with wildlife biologists at the MD Department of Natural Resources. An email can be sent to <personal data hidden> (especially if you want to share photos) or, if you would like to speak to someone, they have a Wildlife and Heritage Service phone number at<personal data hidden>. The phone line is staffed during regular business hours, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, except state holidays and weekends.
We have heard about young bears exploring into more central Maryland as they seek territories to live in after leaving their mothers, and while we haven't heard about a bear in your county recently, it's definitely not unheard of and we can't rule it out. The DNR may be able to speak to whether or not any bears have been observed in your area, plus how to live alongside them until it leaves the area. Generally, advice tends to revolve around making sure no pet food (like for outdoor cats) or wild animal food (like bird seed) is left outside overnight (or keep it inside entirely while a bear is in the area), securing trash can lids and compost piles (if they contain food scraps). Granted, little can be done about live food plants bearing fruit, like tomatoes and other vegetables.
Groundhogs can climb fences (and even trees, to a surprising height) and decimate some crops, but deer (for the apple tree) and a young bear is also a possibility, especially given the large scat pictured. While animal repellent sprays made for deer and groundhogs might be effective if regularly applied (as long as they're also labeled for use on/around food plants), we defer to the DNR's advice if they deem this damage and scat was due to a black bear.
If useful as a starting point, here are a couple DNR web pages about black bears in Maryland:
Miri
We have heard about young bears exploring into more central Maryland as they seek territories to live in after leaving their mothers, and while we haven't heard about a bear in your county recently, it's definitely not unheard of and we can't rule it out. The DNR may be able to speak to whether or not any bears have been observed in your area, plus how to live alongside them until it leaves the area. Generally, advice tends to revolve around making sure no pet food (like for outdoor cats) or wild animal food (like bird seed) is left outside overnight (or keep it inside entirely while a bear is in the area), securing trash can lids and compost piles (if they contain food scraps). Granted, little can be done about live food plants bearing fruit, like tomatoes and other vegetables.
Groundhogs can climb fences (and even trees, to a surprising height) and decimate some crops, but deer (for the apple tree) and a young bear is also a possibility, especially given the large scat pictured. While animal repellent sprays made for deer and groundhogs might be effective if regularly applied (as long as they're also labeled for use on/around food plants), we defer to the DNR's advice if they deem this damage and scat was due to a black bear.
If useful as a starting point, here are a couple DNR web pages about black bears in Maryland:
Miri
