It's against the law to feed black bears in the Granite State - even if you do accidentally!
Food is food: bears are happy to find snacks in bird feeders, and that can lead to trouble. (Courtesy The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Dr. Frank A Smith.)
Did you know that’s it’s against the law to feed black bears in the Granite State? A new law went into effect this year that bans intentionally feeding our local bruins or, even inadvertently providing them with a meal. That means if you have black bears in your area and you continue to feed the birds outside of winter, you could get into trouble.
The purpose of this new law is to protect the bears, of course. Once a bear connects humans with food, they can become quite a nuisance. They can harass people at campgrounds, destroy property like garbage cans, bird feeders and barbeques, and even break into people’s homes and cars. Bears that pick up bad habits like these often end up with a one-way ticket to that big dumpster in the sky.
So it’s up to us humans to be responsible. Do not leave any food around outside that may tempt a hungry bear. After all, a bear is pretty much always hungry.
Now, I know a lot of people really love having birds come to their feeders year round. I like to think that if they only knew how this seemingly simple pleasure often winds up getting a bear killed, they’d reconsider. Besides, there are so many other ways to attract birds in the spring, summer, and fall besides putting out sunflower seeds.
For example, adding a birdbath or other water feature is practically guaranteed to attract songbirds to your yard. Consider planting a few native trees and shrubs to provide cover and foods like nuts and berries. Best of all, once established, these natural snack bars and potential nesting spots are easy and cheap to maintain.
Plus, they’ll keep you — and the bears — out of trouble with the law.
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