Bears? - Ask Extension
A bear keeps taking the lid off our septic tank. We do not have any bird feeders or grills or any food attractants. Any ideas on how to deter h...
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Bears? #880733
Asked August 08, 2024, 3:17 PM EDT
A bear keeps taking the lid off our septic tank. We do not have any bird feeders or grills or any food attractants. Any ideas on how to deter him/her from doing this??? We're afraid something else might fall in and really create a problem with our system - or harm whatever falls into it. This happened last year in October, right after we had our tank pumped. We put a large rock on it last year and that did nothing except get moved. Thanks for any suggestions.
Patty Ahern
Summit County Colorado
Expert Response
Patricia, Here are some ways to keep bears away from septic tank lids: *Secure the lid: Use bolts, screws, or other locks to keep the lid secure and prevent easy access. Make sure the riser is in good shape so the fastener is firmly in place. *Cover the lid. I know you already did this. Maybe a more aggressive "lid cover" option is up for a try. Use temporary, movable objects to cover the lid, such as mulch, pea gravel, removable bricks, or river rock. You can also camouflage the lid with artificial landscape rocks, potted plants, or half wine barrels filled with flowers. *Use a bear-resistant lid: Some lids are designed to be resistant to bears. Colorado Parks and Wildlife suggest some bear deterrents in this article: https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Education/LivingWithWildlife/BearDeterrents.pdf I hope you are successful in your "bear-b-gone" effort.
