Bear Wise Tips

Be Bear-wise

Living in Muskoka means sharing space with wild animals. Human-bear incidents occur when bears are drawn in by smells. To avoid encounters with bears on your property please see the below tips taken from Ontario's Bear-wise program.

Once bears learn they can find food sources where people live, they will return so long as the food source remains. Bears tend to avoid humans, but are attracted to residential areas by:

strong food aromas
the scent of garbage
cooking smells
ripe fruits and pet food left outside

Garbage set-out tips

Put meat scraps in the freezer until garbage day
Put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting lids and store it in a bear-proof location such as a garage
Frequently wash garbage cans and recycle containers and lids with a strong-smelling disinfectant, such as bleach
If you do not have curbside pick-uptake food waste to the waste facility regularly
If you have garbage pickup, put garbage out on garbage day, not the night before and use a bear proof bin

Barbecue tips

Burn off food residue and wash the grill right away
Empty the grease trap every time you barbecue
Remove all utensils, dishes and food after eating
Be aware that cooking odours can attract bears

Cottage tips

Whether you are closing the cottage for the season, or just between stays, the following tips will help avoid unwanted animals:

do not use outdoor fridges or freezers, including beverage fridges, as these may attract bears to your property
do not put meat, fish or sweet food (including fruit) in your outdoor composter
pick all ripe fruit off trees, and remove vegetables and fallen fruit from the ground
never purposely feed bears (or other wildlife) or try to approach them
do not leave any food or food scraps outdoors for pets or other wildlife
when packing up, remember to remove all the food from the inside of your cottage, a box of pudding or fruit-flavoured dessert mix is all it takes to attract a bear
do not leave scented products outside – even non-food items like suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap and candles attract bears
close and lock all windows and doors
if you are away for an extended period of time, have someone you trust check in and look for signs of a bear visit or break in
if you rent your cottage, inform your tenants of the importance of being Bear Wise

Resources

Save or print this one-page cottage bear-wise tips.