Bear Smart Three Rivers

Living with Bears

“A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear”

Whether we live, work, recreate, or own property in Three Rivers, we are responsible for the health and safety of our bears. Bears that eat human food discover that it is higher in calories and sometimes rather easy to find. Bears are smart. If hanging out near humans gives them food rewards, they will hang out near humans. Such bears become more comfortable with people and more bold… sometimes too bold. If a bear becomes overly bold, there are safety concerns for both the people and the bears. Bears that enter homes and cars, damage property, eat livestock, and behave aggressively towards humans are killed.

If we allow our bears to eat human food, we will endanger our bears, ourselves, our neighbors, and our visitors both in Three Rivers and Sequoia National Park.

Be Bear Smart!

Click on the links to to find guidance specific to your situation or scroll down.

Guidance For Residents

Guidance For Lodging Owners & Managers

Guidance for Businesses

Guidance for Visitors

Fun for Kids

Deterrents

Photo by G. Krippner
Photo by C. Jeffries
Photo by E. Greenamyer

For Residents

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How can I keep bears away from my garbage?

  • Use certified bear-resistant carts. Mid Valley Disposal will be providing 64- and 96-gallon carts for both garbage and recycling.
    • Toter's bear resistant 96-gallon cart.
  • Keep the carts in a secure location until the morning of trash pickup. Return your carts to the secure location before night.
  • Put food waste in your garbage cart. Do not put food waste in your green waste (organics) cart.
  • Make sure the lid is always securely latched. Do not overfill your carts.
  • Keep your carts clean.
  • Freeze your most odorous food scraps.
  • Keep your odorous waste indoors until trash day.
  • If you use a bear-resistant enclosure instead of certified bear-resistant carts, make sure your garbage and recycling carts are secured inside the enclosure until 15 minutes before pickup or pay Mid Valley Disposal to remove the carts from the enclosure.

How can I keep bears out of my orchard and garden?

  • Harvest your fruit and vegetables in a timely manner. If your garden and orchard are exceptionally bountiful, organize a harvesting party or contact FoodLink for Tulare County to arrange for harvesting.
  • Surround your garden and orchard with electric fences.
  • Keep your chickens in bear-resistant coops and/or use electric fencing and mats.
  • Surround your beehives with electric fences.

What else should I do?

  • Do not keep pet food outside. Stay with cats and dogs while feeding them outside and bring dishes back inside immediately.
  • Do not use millet or suet in your bird feeders. Do not feed birds when bears are in your neighborhood.
  • Keep your barbecues clean.
  • Do not store cleaners, lotions, and other scented products outside.
  • Take food and scented items out of your vehicle.

There are some overly-bold bears in my neighborhood!

  • Keep your doors and windows locked when you are not home.
  • Install an electric bear mat (see the deterrents section below).
  • Install an electric fence.
  • Scare the bears away by shouting loudly and waving your arms. Contact the Bear Smart team if a more assertive approach is needed.
  • Keep your vehicle’s doors and windows close and locked when you are not in it.

Where can I find more information?

For Lodging Owners & Managers

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How can I keep bears away from my garbage?

  • Use certified bear-resistant carts. Mid Valley Disposal will be providing 64- and 96-gallon carts for both garbage and recycling. Do not use Mid Valley’s 1-yard metal bins because they are not bear resistant.
    • Toter's bear resistant 96-gallon cart.
  • Keep the carts in a secure location until the morning of trash pickup. Do not keep them next to or on the road. Return your carts to the secure location before night. There are local entrepreneurs available who can do this for you.
  • Provide guidance to your guests in very visible locations.
  • Have your guests keep their trash in designated containers inside the home and have the cleaners transfer it to the bear-resistant carts only when necessary. Make your carts inaccessible to guests.
  • Keep your carts clean.
  • If you use a bear-resistant enclosure instead of certified bear-resistant carts, make sure your garbage and recycling carts are secured inside the enclosure until 15 minutes before pickup or pay Mid Valley Disposal to remove the carts from the enclosure.

How can I keep bears out of my orchard and pool?

  • Harvest your fruit and vegetables in a timely manner. If your garden and orchard are exceptionally bountiful contact FoodLink for Tulare County to arrange for harvesting.
  • It may be impossible to keep bears out of your pool. Instead, advise to your guests to maintain their distance when bears are in the yard and/or pool.

What else should I do?

  • Do not use millet or suet in your bird feeders. Do not feed birds when bears are in your neighborhood.
  • Keep your barbecues clean.

What should I give my guests?

Where can I find more information?

For Businesses

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How can I keep bears away from my garbage?

  • Use 96-gallon bear-resistant rollaway carts stored in an enclosure, or upgrade to Mid Valley Disposal’s counterbalanced lid bins. These are the same bins used in Sequoia National Park.
  • If you have waste receptacles outside, empty them into the bear resistant carts or bin everyday after closing.
  • Keep your carts and waste receptacles clean.

How should I advise my guests?

  • Prominently place signs or stickers telling guests to dispose of their waste in bear-resistant containers. (See the BearWise Welcome Kit.)
  • Share and sell books, coasters, and other products that celebrate our bears while educating and entertaining your guests. (See the BearWise Coasters and bear products sold by the Sequoia Parks Conservancy.)

What should I do if a bear approaches my guests?

  • Scare the bear away by shouting loudly and waving your arms. (See Scare the Bear.) Contact the Bear Smart team if a more assertive approach is needed.

Where can I find more information?

For Visitors

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Are the Three Rivers bears dangerous?

  • All bears in Three Rivers and Sequoia National Park are American Black Bears. They are generally frightened of people and do not attack unless provoked.

What precautions should I take?

  • Use the designated waste carts provided by your lodging and by stores and restaurants. Do not move the waste carts provided by your lodging.
  • Secure your vehicles. Remove all food and scented items and store them inside your lodging or in a designated bear-resistant receptacle. Close windows and lock your doors.
  • When eating outside, keep all food within arm’s reach.
  • Lock the doors and windows when you leave.

What should I do if I encounter a bear?

  • Keep your distance and enjoy! If the bear’s behavior changes, you are WAY too close. Stay calm and back up.
  • If the bear approaches, immediately move all food inside or into a bear-resistant locker or waste receptacle. Stand, wave your arms, and shout loudly at the bear. Keep your children close.
  • Make sure you do not back the bear into a corner or get between a mother and her cubs.
  • If a provoked bear charges you, stand your ground. It will most likely be a “bluff” charge.
  • Use of bear spray is not allowed in the national park, and not needed with American Black Bears.

Where can I see a bear?

  • The best place to see a bear is in its natural habitat. Bears enjoy the meadows and forests of Sequoia National Forest in the spring and summer. Autumn brings many bears into the foothills to feast on acorns in the oak trees.

Where can I find more information?

For Kids

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Fun Pages

Bear Wise Kids’ Corner

Sequoia Parks Conservancy

Bear-Related Items for Sale

Three Rivers Historical Museum

42268 Sierra Dr. Three Rivers, CA

Sequoia National Park

Visitor Centers

Deterrents

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Bear-Resistant Containers

Our hauler is not yet providing any certified bear-resistant containers in Three Rivers. On September 24th, however, Tulare County tentatively agreed to require the hauler to provide certified bear-resistant carts and the same bins that are used in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The preferred cart is Toter’s fully-automated certified bear-resistant cart, which is currently working well in communities across the U.S. Stay tuned for further developments!

Bear-Resistant Enclosures

A well-wrought bear-resistant enclosure can be an effective deterrent as long as the trash is is not left unattended when removed from the enclosure for pickup. Many communities allow such enclosures in lieu of bear-resistant containers; however, Tulare County has not yet included enclosures in its draft ordinance. Stay tuned for further developments!

The certified bear-resistant product list includes enclosures.

Electric Mats

Electric mats are an effective way to keep bears out of structures. Bears quickly learn to avoid them and will even avoid fake mats after a while. People can walk on the mats without concern, as long as they are wearing rubber-soled shoes. Thanks to a generous donation, the Bear Smart Three Rivers team now has an electric mat to loan to community members, along with a timer so that it can be turned off in the day. Contact us at help@bearsmart3r.org to borrow a mat.

Electric Fences

Although there is concern about using electric fences in fire prone areas, the right fence installed properly can effectively deter bears without increasing fire risk.