WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT DEPREDATIONS ON LIVESTOCK BY BEARS?
Avoid pasturing livestock in remote areas, areas with heavy wooded cover close by, or areas with wooded gullies or other pathways which bears may use to approach the livestock. When possible, pen the livestock in or near barns at night, especially pregnant females or those with small young. Avoid field birthing, if possible, or clean up birthing areas to remove afterbirths which may attract predators. Attentiveness by shepherds and improved herding techniques are the greatest positive factors in alleviating losses. In operations where the livestock are constantly herded, kept in open areas, or confined at night, predators must develop specialized behaviors to successfully prey on the livestock. Electric fencing may be used to protect the pens of small animals, such as domestic rabbits. Do not leave carcasses of dead animals exposed in fields, pastures, or nearby areas. Bury carcasses deeply or incinerate or render them. Do not place supplemental foods nearby as a lure or distraction. T
