Bear your responsibility

  • Published
  • By Ashley M. Wright
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Hollywood got it right. Yogi and Boo Boo are after your picnic basket, or at least your thrown-out leftovers. But as much as these furry friends crave food from humans there are some simple, diligent steps that will decrease bear activity on Hurlburt Field.

Base officials hosted a "Living in Bear Country" town hall meeting Feb. 22 at the Commando Auditorium to address and inform residents about new bear resistant measures.

"[The bears] are real ,and they are affecting our lives and work," said Lt. Col. Shawn Moore, 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron commander.

About 20 residents gathered as a panel of experts. They explained how to decrease the likelihood of a bear encounter, what to do if you see a black bear and the new bear-resistant containers and dumpsters in housing across the base.

The new trash containers are designed to prevent the animal from achieving his prime target--food.

"This past year we were able to get bear-proof containers, and those have all been placed in the housing area," said Kristal Walsh, 1st SOCES natural resources manager.

Failure to put trash in the containers can lead to consequences for residents.

"As we do our drive around, we will cite them a housing ticket," Colonel Moore said. "It is not a breaking of a law; it is just a matter of trying to be responsible neighbors and citizens."

The colonel said officials want to work with residents to resolve dilemmas before they become problems. Residents with large families create larger amounts of waste so they are encouraged to call the base housing office to discuss alternatives.

Individuals can help where they see a problem by letting officials know of trash in the areas outside the dorms, unclosed dumpsters and trash in the housing areas.

Bears that routinely use base housing leftovers for dinner will not disappear overnight, said Dave Telesco, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Bear Program coordinator. The common response time seems to be around three weeks for the bears to leave an area.

"Hurlburt Field has decided to take the steps that we wish everyone would take, which is to provide a security measure for your garbage to keep bears out," Mr. Telesco said. "This works but it is something you have to follow up with. You have to use the clips properly and make sure it is not overflowing, every time."

Of the nearly 1,600 bear sighting reports in Okaloosa County in the last decade, almost half have been bears eating garbage, Mr. Telesco added.

To further associate a negative behavior with bears hanging around living quarters, residents are encouraged to scare them by flickering outside lights on and off or honk a car horn at them, Mr. Telesco said.

If the animal remains in the area despite these efforts, residents can call the 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron law enforcement desk.

The squadron recently received permission to use paintball guns on nuisance bears.

We have been trained to haze the bears, particularly the problematic ones exhibiting behaviors of not wanting to leave, said Capt. Brenda Franklin, 1st SOSFS operations officer.

If retreating to a safe area and calling authorities is not an option with the animal, Mr. Telesco suggested looking for warning signs. The signs include when the bear makes a bluff charge, emits a loud clapping of its back molars and a puffed breath.

"The weird thing is that everyone knows what a rattlesnake sounds like, and what you are supposed to do, but no one really knows what to do with a bear," Mr. Telesco said. "Keep in mind, a rattlesnake doesn't rattle when he wants a mouse. A bear doesn't do all this when he wants to hurt you. He is doing this to warn you."

Although there has never been a reported case of an unprovoked bear attack in the state, Mr. Telesco advised, if you see a bear, back up, talk quietly and don't play dead. If the animal actually makes contact with you, fight back. People have successfully fought back bears with their bare hands.

Last year was an unusually busy year for the base, according to Ms. Walsh.

"We have had a really active year," Ms. Walsh said. "We did relocate six bears in the beginning of December [2010] from another area in Live Oak, and then we put up an electric fence."

Previous educational events, door-to-door brochures delivery and a Facebook page have been used to keep the base population knowledgeable on the latest bear happenings.

"Our efforts have been toward making Hurlburt Field a safe community," Ms. Walsh said. "It has got to be a group effort. It can't just be one person on one street. It has got to be everybody."

For more information, call Ms. Walsh at 884-7916, and to report a bear, call the 1st SOSFS law enforcement desk at 884-7777.