State Fish and Game officials say they’ve seen more bears put down this year than usual.
They’re asking homeowners to take precautions to avoid drawing them out.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Bear Biologist Andy Timmins says in a typical year, the department and homeowners combine to kill roughly 15 bears because of so-called nuisance conflicts.
He says this year, they’re already past that.
“Most of it’s due to bears getting into chickens. Bear comes into your yard, starts raiding the chicken coop, state law allows you to protect your property. A lot of homeowners use that state law by shooting the bear.”
He says birdfeeders or unsecured trash cans will also draw bears out into residential areas.
“We’d recommend an air tight can with a tied-up bag of garbage in that can. You can even use a little ammonia in there to help cover up the scent of the garbage as well as the offensive odor to the bear.”
Timmins urges homeowners, especially those with chickens and beehives, to take steps to prevent such conflicts, such as installing an electric fence.
He says the state offers an electric fence loan program, and officials will come out an install it free of charge.