Be Bear Aware
The Missouri Department of Conservation wants to remind Benton County Citizens to be “bear aware.” There is a growing black bear population in MO. While most of the bears are south of Interstate 44, some bears are around the Benton County Area. MDC Biologist’s want to make sure Missourians understand why they do not want bears to be fed by humans.
There's an element of truth in the old saying that a fed bear is a dead bear. Black Bears that get used to finding food around homes, businesses and campgrounds often must be destroyed. You don't have to deliberately feed bears to get them in trouble. Simply leaving food where they can get it is enough. And you might be surprised what qualifies as food for a bear; pet food, livestock feed, birdseed, sugar water in hummingbird feeders and garbage all are tempting to hungry bears. Bears are constantly on the move, and they will check out anything that smells like it might be good to eat.
If you see a bear in your area, biologist recommend bringing birdfeeders inside for a couple weeks and not putting trash out until right before pickup time. Livestock feed should be kept in bear-proof buildings or containers, and pets should be fed inside or only given as much as they can eat at one time. Campers can avoid creating "fed bears" by keeping food and trash locked in vehicles and not discarding garbage in or around campsites.
