Bears entering homes used to be rare, but now it’s a common headline. From Connecticut to California, bears are entering garages, kitchens, crawlspaces, and businesses, not out of aggression, but because they’ve learned human food is easy to find. In Connecticut, wildlife officials reported three bears entering the same home, highlighting a reality that bear experts have warned about: once a bear succeeds, it’s likely to return. Similar incidents have occurred in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, raising concerns about attractants and prevention.
Bears Follow Food — And They Remember Where They Find It
Bears are driven by calories, whether from a refrigerator, trash can, garage freezer, or pantry. Headlines about bears entering kitchens or rummaging through garages aren’t random; they’re part of a broader trend. A fed bear doesn’t just move on — it learns. This learning can lead to:
- Repeat visits and entries to the same home
- Increased boldness around doors and windows
- More frequent encounters with people
- Repeated use of human foods that removes the bear from its job as a part of its natural environment
- Cubs learning these bad behaviors from their moms
Wildlife agencies emphasize that the first successful entry is the most dangerous, as it teaches bears that human spaces equal reward.
Why “Reactive” Solutions Aren’t Enough
After damage occurs, homeowners often scramble for solutions like boarding up doors or replacing trash cans. But by then, the bear has already associated the property with food. That’s why bear managers rely on preventive deterrents, such as Bear-ier Solutions electrified bear mats, to stop bears before they cross thresholds. These mats create a psychological barrier — a brief, unpleasant sensation that teaches the bear to turn away.
Keeping Bears Wild Starts at Home
Bear-ier Solutions electrified mats are designed for high-risk access points like doorways, windows, garages, and crawlspaces. Combined with securing anything a bear may see as food (garbage, bird feeders, pet food, fruit trees, chicken coops, or apiaries), bears learn your property is not worth a visit. If you live in bear country, be proactive, because the safest bear encounter is the one that never happens — for people and for bears.