Wildlife Feeders
Are you having issues with black bears getting into your wildlife feeders?
Black bears are opportunistic foragers readily attracted to food sources provided by humans. The best method for preventing bears from approaching human use areas is to remove all food sources. If such removal is not possible, two methods of dealing with bear damage of wildlife feeders are recommended. The first method is to use food plots instead of feeders. Food plots are cheaper, always present, replicate more natural food sources, and provide better nutrition for wildlife than corn and other grains. If you still wish to directly feed corn, soy beans, rice bran or other grains, install automatic feeders instead of putting the feed directly on the ground in piles. Whatever type is used, the most critical factor in making a feeder bear-resistant is its placement. Bears are powerful, agile, and resourceful, necessitating that any feeder be placed out of their reach.
The following are field tested, bear-resistant designs.
With your help, the FWC will be further able to protect wildlife feeders and reduce bear conflicts at wildlife feeding stations throughout Florida.