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hattie
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 12:23pm
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While we were in Ontario visiting family, a bear discovered our compost bin. We have never had a problem in all the years we have had it, but for some reason this year was the year. Bob tidied it all up and rebuilt it but again the bear came back. It has been very frustrating trying to figure out what to do. We thought about Bob getting a bear tag and just eliminating the problem, but that didn't sit well and also with the close quarters of where our compost bin is to the garage, there is a good chance the garage could be damaged if he missed the bear.
I went googling and learned that bears don't like the smell of ammonia. I put some in a spray bottle and after Bob rebuilt (yet again) our compost bin, I sprayed it all over with the ammonia. The bear was back last night (he left his calling card on the front lawn) but he didn't touch the compost bin. So I guess it is true that they don't like the smell of ammonia. I am just giving the composter a spray with it every morning until the bear goes into hibernation.
Just thought I'd pass on the hint in case anyone else is having a similar problem.
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Gregjman
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:44pm
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Cayenne pepper on top works to keep animals out I heard too
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leonk
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 02:09pm
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Quoting: Gregjman Cayenne pepper on top works to keep animals out I heard too
that might actually attract them.
Where in ON is that?
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Truecabin
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:18pm
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Quoting: leonk Quoting: Gregjman Cayenne pepper on top works to keep animals out I heard too that might actually attract them.
yeah what it it attracts them first then ruins their lunch after that its better if it doesnt attract
i know of a small hotel that used cayenne to completely solve bear problem they tried everything even electricity but caayenne is the one that works
ammonia sounds easy too but i havent heard of that before
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hattie
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:00pm - Edited by: hattie
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Quoting: leonk Where in ON is that?
We were in Barrie, Ontario. The bear was at our house in British Columbia. We discovered the mess when we returned home. 
Before I heard about the ammonia, we did put cayenne pepper all over the compost and left it open for one night. The bear didn't touch it, so I would say that worked as well. I only used the ammonia after Bob fixed the composter and put everything back together again. I'm wondering if it also might keep deer away. I may try it in the spring when the deer attack the new growth on our fruit trees.
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Gregjman
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:03pm
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I didn't think much about the attractant power of it, only the consequences after consumption...
Can't be good in large quantities. But I suppose if every animal had to learn their lesson first, it's probably not a good solution.
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hattie
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 12:17pm
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Still no sign of Mr. Bear. I'm a happy, happy camper!! I guess he decided to move on because he doesn't like the ammonia smell. I'm really glad he didn't end up getting killed. Bears are beautiful animals and they have a right to live here too.  Hopefully he will get big and fat and have a nice, long hibernation.
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Rossman
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 02:46pm
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You can probably pee around your compost pile too...that generally keeps animals away.
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razmichael
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 08:16pm
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Nothing to do with keeping bears away but an amusing "video" (put together from a game camera) of what bears do when we are not watching! Watching this you have to remind yourself just how dangerous they can be under some circumstances
Bears when you are not watching
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 08:51pm
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Good job Hattie.... finding a non violent solution is always the best way.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:20pm
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I would agree on finding a solution without killing the bear. He is just doing what all animals do, looking for food and your source seemed easy. Nice you found a solution. May have to break out the ammonia next spring again. 
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hattie
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2013 10:53pm
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HAHAHAHAHA....That video is hilarious!! 
I bet they put citronella on that tree first. I watched a documentary about bears once and one of the ladies doing the filming had a female bear come up and start rubbing against her. They couldn't figure out what was going on. The bear wasn't hurting her, it just seemed to want to rub against her. The woman said she had put on citronella to keep the mosquitoes away. They decided to put some on a tree to see what would happen and the results were like that video. Female bears kept rubbing up against the tree. What was really interesting is that the male bears didn't seem to even take a second look at the tree.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:02pm - Edited by: bldginsp
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Well, Hattie, I might just comment that it has been my general observation that what type of perfume a woman is wearing is of much greater interest to the other women in the general vicinity than it is to the men, who, frankly my dear don't give a darn.
Some things don't change.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:17pm
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When I stayed in Glacier National Park, grizzlies were an issue and anything perfume was forbidden. They said not even scented deodorant, no smelly laundry soap, shampoo, no fabric softeners, even your dish water with soap and toothpaste had to be taken to a special dumping area. You were not allowed to toss anything on the ground. Not even dump out a bottle of beer etc. on the ground. A bears nose is his best tool for locating food and it very sensitive for sure.
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KSalzwedel
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 12:33am
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Hattie: be prepared with ammonia in spring. Once a bear finds a food source he will make repeat visits. Another year of ammonia will probably cure his desire and get him looking elsewhere.
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old243
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 09:55am
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Maybe you should be careful what you put in your compost pile, especially in times of the year when food in the bush is scarce. If you have a bigger acrage , or an alternative , Take the tasty goodies to another area away from your camp and dump them. all the critters will find them and thank you. At our camp we take all food scraps , well away from the camp, also don't always put them in the same place. If you decide you want to hunt the bear . establish a bait pile somewhere and get them in the habit of coming old243
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 11:11am
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Years ago had a problem of raccoons lifting the hot-tub access door and living underneath. Place bowls of ammonia with rag-wicks underneath, and they vacated asap! Tiki-torches filled with ammonia might last a long time? (unlit, of course)
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hattie
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 12:14pm
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Quoting: KSalzwedel be prepared with ammonia in spring. Once a bear finds a food source he will make repeat visits. Another year of ammonia will probably cure his desire and get him looking elsewhere.
We don't usually see bears in town in the spring because there is so much other food around. Having said that, now that he knows where our composter is, we do expect he will try again in the fall. He will be full grown this year, so a much more dangerous threat. Last fall after he abandoned our composter, he showed up on our front porch one night. I yelled at him (from inside) and he wandered off but was not afraid at all. We're just going to be really careful not to leave anything that can be perceived as food outside in the fall.
There is a campground nearby and apparently the bears regularly go there for food. The bear visited us after the campers left for the year.
Quoting: old243 Maybe you should be careful what you put in your compost pile, especially in times of the year when food in the bush is scarce.
You are right with this!! When the bear found our composter we had been turning apples into apple cider. The composter was FULL of apple mush - just what Mr. Bear wanted. He didn't even have to chew it. *LOL*
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 12:32pm
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One year camping at a Adirondack campground I had a bear intrusion early in the morning. The campground supplied a 55 gallon drum on it's side with a cover. The cover was secured with hasps on four points around the circumference. The campground instructed us that all food, soap you name it was to be place inside this barrel. Leave nothing in your car or camper.
Well, one Ma Ma bear figured out the weak point of this arrangement. She brought her two cubs with her. She was able to peel back a quadrant of the lid big enough to send one of the cubs in. The cub then threw out the contents of the barrel. I got to watch all of this via the window of my camper as the family was sleeping.
It was fun and amazing to watch. Ma Ma didn't allow the cub to eat anything until she checked it out first. Anything that didn't meet with her approval went flying into the woods. My camp stove must have gone a 150 feet. For the most part they ate healthy foods. The one exception was chocolate bars which she unwrapped the foil from. Now picture this. You know what a bear claw looks like. Now picture it unwrapping foil.
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hattie
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2014 08:44pm
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Thanks for sharing that hueyjazz. That would have been AMAZING to watch!!!
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SubArcticGuy
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2014 05:39pm
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How many people put bear boards (plywood full of nails or screws around the doors/windows) out around their cabins...it is a fairly standard practice up here...but I always worry that my kids will run up to the cabin before I have a chance to pick them up....I think I will use them this year but work on switching to an electric fence in the future...once the solar is up and running.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2014 08:36pm
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Quoting: SubArcticGuy but work on switching to an electric fence in the future...once the solar is up and running.
They have those all solar powered fence chargers, all self contained, ie a solar panel, battery etc. So you wont need to use the power from your solar for the cabin itself.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/electric-fence-solar-powered-controllers
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2014 12:27pm
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I've heard of bear boards and also electric fences. We run a small motel so I don't think they would be very good for business.
The deer are back so I think I will try to put out the ammonia to keep them from nibbling our fruit trees. Fingers crossed it will work.
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