We've talked about mice and insects in the past, but I'm out of the city now and the pest du jour - bears. We've had bears in the past, but they seem to be on the rise now.

We have been told:
  • Take bird feeders in at night (ours are actually gone completely now, Mom took it down last year after catching a bear eating out of it)
  • Clean the barbeque after every use - although I don't think you can ever completely get the smell of food off of a barbeque
  • Keep garbage in a can with a tight fitting lid - a bizarre suggestion from the city, considering we all have city issued outdoor compost bins with lids that just flip open
  • Keep pet food inside
  • Rinse recyclables before putting them out
  • Keep food scraps in the freezer until garbage day


Who else lives in bear territory, and what precautions do you take?