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Southern Tier: Guard against black bear encounters with these tips

Black bears in the Southern Tier will soon be on the hunt for food as their hibernation season comes to an end- Here’s some tips to stay safe and keep bears away from your property.

With hibernation season ending in March, black bears will be on the hunt for easy-access food, including in residential areas.

“The best thing to do is get those trash cans out the morning of pick-up day,” said Ryan Donnelly of Tanglewood Nature Center, according to WENY News. “After the garbage trucks come by, get them back into the house, get them secured, away from where a bear could investigate; look for some extra food.”  


If you find yourself in close proximity to a bear, Donnelly says the best course of action is to stay at least a few hundred feet away and make your stature as big as possible.