These days more places that used to be wild lands are sprouting housing communities and developments. That can make good den sites harder to come by and cause bears in search of a winter den to go searching for suitable alternatives.

It’s not unusual for a bear to den up and even give birth under decks, in crawl spaces, or under bushes and brush piles. Old tires, piles of building materials and other debris can offer attractive possibilities. Bears may make themselves at home in vacant buildings, even when they are really garages, storage sheds or vacation homes that are only vacant over the winter.

To a bear, these areas can seem like the perfect winter home. They’re dark, snug and often come with at least one built-in wall. Bears don’t have collarbones, so even adult bears can fit through what seems like an impossibly small opening. Like your average dog door. The general guideline is that if a bear can get its head inside, the rest of the bear can follow.

Many homes in bear country offer bears lots of possibilities. So, if you’d rather not have bears as houseguests, read our full article with BearWise Tips about…

• Outbuildings
• Porches, decks and crawl spaces
• Vacation Homes
• Campers & RVs

Courtesy of BearWise®www.BearWise.org