[Diana in Wisconsin]

From ‘Rural Sprout’ website:

If you have bears coming to your property, it’s likely for one big reason, you’re feeding them, whether you mean to or not. Black bears can smell food from up to 20 miles away, so it’s really no wonder that they frequent homesteads, which are chock full of food.

Biggest bear draws on the homestead:

Trash or food left outside
Compost
Beehives
Livestock food
Animals giving birth
Newborn, injured or dead livestock
Crops, Berry bushes, fruit trees & nut trees
Stocked ponds

(Diana here: I would add Bird Feeders to the list. If they hold a lot, take them in at night or with platform feeders - which I use - I only fill them once in the am, then let them stay empty until the next morning)

How to protect each of the above, at the link below.

https://www.ruralsprout.com/deter-bears/

[Melian]

Re Bear safety:

Great tips! Thank you! And thanks to all who gave me advice and made me laugh.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Meli...what Diana says!

(Her dogs and Beau hunt bear!)