Bears!
The Black Bear is a commonly seen part of the Lake Tahoe landscape. They might be called Black Bears, but in reality come in a wide variety of colors from black to brown to cinnamon to an off-white. While bears are powerful animals that are potentially dangerous, the bears in the Sierra are basically shy creatures who are habituated to humans and want to avoid conflict whenever possible.
While they might be shy, bears have no qualms about taking advantage of any food sources that we provide. They are adaptable, with a very powerful sense of smell and they will follow their noses, wherever it takes them. Here are a few steps to protect your possessions and sanity from bears:
Cars
The problem is not as much bears getting into your car and licking up all those Cheerio’s junior dropped from his car seat, but when the door shuts and he can’t get back out, that is when all hell breaks loose. A scared bear can do a number on your upholstery. Keep your car clean, your doors locked and window up, and if you have a garage, keep your car in it.
Garbage
Bear proof garbage containers are the only safe place to keep your garbage. If you don’t have one, plan B is to be sure and not put your garbage out until the morning of your trash pick up day.
House
Your last refuge from bears is the house. But smart bears have learned that our boxes of wood are the shangra la of food opportunity. Last year I left town for a week, and while I was gone a bear climbed up the back deck, reached around and grasped a slightly ajar window, pulled himself up while sliming the outside of my house with mud, and proceeded to make a mess of the kitchen and the laundry room. I was lucky, sometimes bears will defecate in the house, rip up the furniture, and in a few cases have started a fire or flood by leaning up against a stove or a sink handle. The goal is simple. Try not to let them in:
Leave all windows shut when you are not there, and put down blinds which allow Mr. Hungry Bear to see the fridge and cabinets.
Spray regular pine sol outside the kitchen windows to disguise food smells.
Get smelly garbage out of your house and into a bear proof garbage can on a regular basis.
Consider an electric fence around your house, especially once a bear has made its first break in. Once that happens it now considers your house a restaurant and it has a reservation for another visit soon. Put up the Closed sign.