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3595fd36-9b08-4484-bfd6-39332f0ba315 < Back Slide 8 of 83 < > In Minnesota, white pines have always been cut at unsustainable rates, and we've nearly lost our white pine forests and our white pine industry.

THE CHALLENGES OF GARDENING IN BEAR COUNTRY Planting Potted Plants and Flowers Living in black bear country is an amazing experience, but it can present challenges if you enjoy potted plants and flowers in your yard. You may have noticed that the curiosity factor of black bears, especially the younger ones, can be detrimental to the plants. After spending a lot of time observing bears, we have seen that they hone in on and “check out” anything that is different and new in their world (yes, our yards are part of their world). One long time Eagles Nest resident knew there had to be a peaceful resolution where she could have her flowers and still enjoy the sight of bears cruising through her yard. After many years and many trials she figured out a workable solution. Here it is: Two weeks or so before you are going to plant, put out empty planters and pots where you eventually want them to be with plants in them. In that two weeks, let the bears play with the empty planters. Since they will be the “new” and “fun” additions to your yard, it will most likely happen. Eventually, when they are no longer new and the fascination with them has worn off, they will ignore them. This is when you plant your flowers and the bears will have moved on to the next new curiosities in their world. Garden Hoses There is just something about a garden hose that black bears find irresistible. However after bear play they are less effective as a traditional hose and become more of a soaker hose. Bear teeth easily puncture standard rubber hoses. If you value your garden hoses stow them in a shed or garage after use. Bear at play with a garden hose Apr 17, 2019 Friendly Bear Becomes a Gardener Aug 20, 2021 The BearTeam will be testing variations of garden hoses which, while more expensive than a traditional garden hose, may hold up to bear handling. We'll let you know. Send us solutions that have worked for you! Perhaps you have found a solution that has helped you co-exist with black bears. Use our Contact Form to send us your ideas.

7d0ccb11-245d-42dd-99ab-e5b5a2a58936 < Back Slide 58 of 83 < > Eagle and osprey populations are still recovering from DDT pesticide problems and they'll need more and more white pines as they increase their breeding areas.

04c8b073-f5d5-49e6-b2ad-8acdb5e4c0c3 < Back Slide 54 of 83 < > Wouldn't it be better for the future of our timber industry if we rebuilt a portion of our high value white pine forests for sustainable harvest rather than cutting the seed trees and quarter-grown trees of today?

2222b5be-c5bc-4d43-867d-0f9c85a3ed2d < Back Slide 13 of 83 < > People needed jobs, so they continued cutting the remnants of the white pine forest, seeking out smaller and smaller white pine forests and even cutting the lone white pines scattered through other forest types.

25fda265-f9a8-462b-a2a5-821f5c1acc13 < Back Slide 24 of 83 < > Years passed. People tried farming the cleared areas, but one by one the farms failed and the people moved away. The land started to become forest again -- but not usually white pine forest. The big white pines that were needed for seed were mostly gone.

WILDLIFE ATTRACTANT ASSESSMENT Correct: Incorrect: 0 0 Total answered: Total questions: 0 0 Are trash containers accessible to wildlife? 2 Containers need to be out of reach of wildlife Yes You're off to a good start! No Is there an odor present? 2 Wildlife can smell attractants from great distances Yes Your neighborhood thanks you! No Are garbage receptacles always stored inside? 1 Wildlife can recognize these and be attracted to them Yes Wise decision! No If inside, in a garage for example, are the doors kept secured? 1 It is best to prevent wildlife from entering structures where they can only cause problems. Yes Great! No If garbage is stored outside, is it in a secure building? 1 Even a shed can provide more security from wildlife. Yes Good job! No Are the receptacles covered with strong, locking lids? 1 Contact the BearTeam for straps which can be installed on garbage cans to secure them from wildlife. Yes Awesome! No Is garbage placed for pick-up the morning of service? If there is no pick-up service answer 'Yes' 1 To minimize the opportunity for animals to get into the garbage put it curbside as near to pickup as possible. Yes Well done! No Are you using bear-resistant containers for all garbage and recycling? 1 Contact the BearTeam for straps which can be installed on garbage cans to secure them from wildlife. Yes Super! No Is corn provided for deer? 2 Corn is a common wildlife attractant Yes That's great! No Is wildlife fed outside of the house? 2 Unwelcome wildlife may be attracted Yes Smart! No Are birds routinely fed outside of the house? 2 Bird feeding is enjoyable but can attract all sorts of wildlife Yes Safe bet! No Is pet or livestock feed secured? 1 Unsecured feed can attract rodents and other wildlife Yes Perfect! No Is food stored inside? 1 Food stored outside can attract wildlife Yes Good move! No Are animal-resistant containers used? 1 Wildlife can be very adept at opening non-resistant containers Yes Prudent choice! No Is food left outside available to pets or livestock overnight? 2 Nocturnal wildlife may be attracted to food left out Yes Great! No Are birdfeeders present year round? 2 Wildlife may learn your property has a constant supply of food Yes Smart move! No Are birdfeeders hung from a tree, porch/house, metal pole? 1 Feeders may be easily accessible for wildlife Yes Nice! No Is feeder hung from a cable approximately 20’ from the ground? 1 Feeders installed close to the ground may be easily accessible to wildlife Yes Awesome! No Is spilled food picked up nightly? 1 Nocturnal wildlife may arrive as a cleanup crew Yes Wonderful! No Is there a compost pile outdoors? 2 Outdoor compost piles can be an attractant Yes Good! No Is compost pile distant from the house, woods or other cover? 1 The compost pile may bring wildlife uncomfortably close Yes Excellent! No Does compost include household waste, food scraps, etc.? 2 Human food smells can be an attractant Yes That's great! No Is compost strictly lawn clippings? 1 Non-vegetative products can be an attractant Yes Perfect! No Ripe fruit and vegetables present? 2 Wildlife have an uncanny ability to smell these Yes Good job! No Are gardens, berry patches and orchards electric fenced? 1 As crops mature, wildlife may be attracted Yes Wow! No Are beehives or livestock secured with electric fencing? 1 Wildlife look for easy opportunities Yes Well done! No Are livestock pens more than 50 yards from forested cover? 1 Wildlife may use the cover of the woods to approach livestock Yes Nice! No

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e0f34fbe-a0ee-4523-8e28-47071525fa18 < Back Birth of Cubs! Birth! Listen for the sound of a cub and the welcoming grunts of the mother. Notice the bedding made of chewed up logs. Previous Next

f4520028-f9cf-436b-808c-748b1d46ae9e < Back Slide 68 of 83 < > For example, this cub fell when she climbed higher onto the smooth bark of this aspen. The same thing happened to her two brothers.

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DEN CAM OBSERVATIONS Video files provided by the Wildlife Research Institute There's a lot happening in the den! Preparing for Cubs This black bear mother is preparing for the birth of her cubs by gathering balsam fir branches that she then chewed up for more bedding. Jaw Clenching During Labor As labor began she clenched her jaws and flexed her head muscles. Body Slams During Labor Twelve hours before delivery our mother bear began slamming her body against the side of the den. Licking Just Before Birth A half an hour before birth she begins licking herself. Birth of Cubs! Birth! Listen for the sound of a cub and the welcoming grunts of the mother. Notice the bedding made of chewed up logs. Licking the Cubs Dry Mothers immediately lick the birthing fluids off each cub and warm it. Protecting Cubs from Cold To warm the cubs, mothers tuck their cubs underneath them and breath on them with her head tucked under her chest. The cubs are not hibernating. Their job is to nurse, sleep, and grow quickly. Elimination of Waste When the mother had to urinate or defecate, she backed into a corner—or to the entrance. The cub cried for the mother to come back and keep it warm. Notice the trail of urine at the end of the video. Eating Snow To get water, mothers ate snow. Eating Icicles Mothers also ate icicles to get water. Play Between Mother and Cub When cubs’ eyes opened around 6 weeks of age, they began to play. They played with their mothers. Play Between Cubs Cubs played with each other. Play Between Mothers and Yearlings In fact, all family members played, including this mother with yearlings. The way they expended energy on play when they had no food made us think how important play is to family relations. Reciprocal Tongue Licking A bonding activity that may also have other benefits was reciprocal tongue-licking that all family members did in dens and out of the dens as the cubs grew up. Grooming Grooming was frequent. Mothers groomed their cubs and their yearlings, and yearlings groomed their mothers. Yearlings Suckling Yearlings suckled in the den every day, making this pulsing hum—even though they got little or no milk. In spring after emergence, some well-fed mothers resumed lactation and nursed their yearlings right up to the day of family breakup in May or June. Fecal Plug As one of these yearlings makes the suckling sound, the mother is eating a yearling’s fecal plug that rolled back into the den after the yearling backed to the entrance to defecate. Fecal plugs are mainly cells that slough off the digestive tract during hibernation and build up in the colon. Footpad Chewing Again as we hear a yearling suckle, the mother is removing her right rear foot pad to expose the new one that is growing beneath it. Mothers sometimes also help their yearlings remove footpads. REM Sleep by Mothers Both mothers and young went through stages of sleep that included the eye movements and twitches of REM sleep. Does that mean they dream? Blustery Reaction Could dreaming explain why this mother woke up from REM sleep blustering forward as if disoriented before turning toward the den entrance? Does the fact that she immediately calmed down when she realized nothing was there suggest that she can separate bad dreams from reality?