by Jake Bramante
With the cooler weather coming on, there’s a temptation to get out the bird feeders once again, but wait just a little longer! This time of year, nature still has a bounty of seeds and late insects to keep our feathered friends well fed. While they would appreciate a suet cake or black oil sunflower seeds, so would your neighborhood black bear or grizzly bear as they are seeking easy ways to round out those winter fat stores. Once bears find food sources, they’ll keep visiting to check on them. A bear that finds your feeder this fall will probably swing by next fall to check again. For your safety, your neighbor’s safety, and especially the safety of the bears, let’s try and remove temptations to avoid conflicts.
Wondering when is a good time to start feeding again? If you live in bear country, our very own Denny Olson recommends waiting until at least after the hunting season is over. This year, that date would fall after November 26. Bear Aware in Bigfork recommends the safe date of December 15. In the meantime, fall is a great time to head out and find locals and migrants finding food in the great outdoors.