With the warm weather, black bears are on the move, and the DEC is asking for our help in reducing human-bear conflicts and nuisance reports by taking these simple steps.

Adirondack and Northern New York black bears are on the move. The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has been notified of nuisance bears and want to remind homeowners of steps they can take to avoid conflicts with bears.

  • Store garbage cans and grills in a secure building or location.
  • Secure lids on outdoor trash containers with chains and locks and/or protect them with electric fencing.
  • Do not leave garbage containers outside overnight; put them out immediately before pick-up.
  • Remove bird feeders and suet.
  • Feed pets indoors and store pet food indoors.
  • If you or your neighbor are having problems with nuisance bears or suspect someone is feeding bears, please report immediately to the DEC dispatch at 518- 897-1326.

When reported immediately, nuisance bear issues can often be resolved by working with community members to increase public awareness and remove attractants. When nuisance bears go unreported, they may quickly become a significant safety hazard for people and pets, and such scenarios often have undesirable outcomes for both individuals and bears.


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