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nafex - [NAFEX] Black Bears and Apples

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  • From: "John L. Emmett" <jlemmett@iinet.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Black Bears and Apples
  • Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:34:05 -0700

I have a series of apple orchard terraces with 9 foot fences to keep
the deer out. The lower 6 feet is heavy gauge steel dear and rabbit fencing.
The upper 3 feet is is the heaviest gauge plastic deer fencing. This fall a
mother black bear and her cub decided to harvest the apples. They climbed up
and tore down the top portion of the fence and jumped into the apple trees.
The mother broke 3" branches off the larger trees. Of the 40 trees on that
terrace, I think they stripped about 1/3 of the apples before I got to them.

While it would be legal to shoot them here, I am very loath to do
that. Will an electric fence deter bears? Having seen bears sitting eating
honey with thousands of bees on them, I wonder if they would notice an
electric fence at all. This coming fall, I am sure the bears will remember
the apples. In addition they will probably discover the other four terraces
with more. Has anyone else dealt with this problem? Are there any
suggestions out there? Thank.

John



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