# bear defense



## philm (Dec 16, 2014)

Hey There,

Im slowly building my homestead but I am planning no all aspects before we move up there full time. I have taken a couple classes on keeping honey bees and have read a few books. I wont be getting bees until im permanently onsite. My homestead is in bear county and was wondering what the best defense against bears are. Ive seen what a bear can do to hives and i would like to avoid that situation. Is electrical fence the best way to go? or keeping the bees closer to my house away from the forest better since the bears arent as inclined to come up that close? the house is near a county highway with a lot of traffic, my back yard is basically woods.

attach is a diagram of my 11 acres. I was thinking of keeping the hives near my apple orchard between the where the pasture starts and where my yard is. to the north of me is just more field, and to the south only that thing strip of trees and then more yards of neighbors. but the southwest is more forest past my own.


----------



## stockdogcompany (Jan 25, 2015)

Permanent electrified high tensile woven wire fence on self insulated poly posts are dandy. You could perimeter fence the house and front pasture for only a buck or so a foot and have a bear and predator resistant fence and be ready to add sheep, geese, or goats to mix if you want. Or just feel better about kids and dogs alone out in the yard.

This stuff 4" off the ground, with a single strand of smooth high tensile hot 8" above it, all electrified is awesome, and cheaper than barbed wire, or even very good quality portable electronet per linear foot. Good against dogs, bears, etc.

http://www.powerflexfence.com/Simply_the_highest_quality_and_strongest_fence_p/w73624-30.htm

http://www.plastic-innovation.com/

I recommend this to all of my predator challenged dog and consulting customers.

Put it on a cracking hot 13+ joule fencer and you'll be very happy.


----------



## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

I agree with the electric noted above. We live in bear country and as soon as you put something they want close to the house, they will come visiting. Electric is what the keepers around us use. Solar chargers make it easier to secure hives out beyond the reach of a plug in.


----------



## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

I can't tell you about bears, but bees I can manage a little. They can fly a long way carrying lightweight pollen or nectar. Not so far with heavy water. Keep them safe, they'll travel to the honey-flow. Keep real shallow water (pebble slope or floating planks or basket-weave, for instance) close to them, and they (and any swarms) are more likely to stick around. If that's near the house, and the bears don't want to come there - well, good!


----------



## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

wrap bacon around the wire so the bear gets to know what your fence is


----------

