Friendly reminder from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife that if you order DoorDash, Uber Eats, or other food delivery services, please be sure to pick it up right away.

Porch pirates come in all forms, including furry and four-legged.

Black bears are common throughout most of Washington, including suburban areas and in greenbelts near cities and towns. When preparing for hibernation in the fall and after waking in the spring, they look for high-calorie, easy-to-find food sources.

Unfortunately for this black bear near Ocean Shores, this package contained a sweater and not food. But if bears get used to finding high-calorie food in an area, they will keep coming back. The best way to encourage them to move along and focus on natural food sources is by removing potential attractants.

Preventing conflicts

If you are recreating in bear country, always remember: Never travel alone, keep small children near you at all times, and always make your presence known — simply talking will do the trick.

Most experts recommend carrying bear spray when recreating in areas where bears or other potentially dangerous wildlife may be present. A bear spray that has a capsaicin (pepper) content between 1.3 and 2 percent can be an effective deterrent to an aggressive bear if it is sprayed directly into the bear’s face within 6 to 10 meters (20-30 feet).

State wildlife offices receive hundreds of black bear complaints each year regarding urban sightings, property damage, attacks on livestock, and bear/human confrontations.

The number one reason for conflict (95% of the calls to offices) is the result of irresponsibility on the part of people: access to trash, pet food, bird feeders, and improper storage of food while camping make up the majority of the calls.

Bears may opportunistically seek food in human-occupied areas when natural foods are scarce. This occurs annually in early spring before natural foods become available and in late fall as bears prepare for hibernation. Additionally, in some years a late-arriving spring or drought conditions may increase the likelihood of this behavior.

If you live in areas where black bears are seen, use the following strategies around your property to prevent conflicts:

Don’t feed bears. Often people leave food out for bears so they can take pictures of them or show them to visiting friends. Over 90 percent of human-bear conflicts result from bears being conditioned to associate food with humans. A wild bear can become permanently food-conditioned after only one handout experience. The unintended reality is that these bears will likely die, being killed by someone protecting their property, or by a wildlife manager having to remove a potentially dangerous bear.

Manage your garbage. Bears will expend a great amount of time and energy digging under, breaking down, or crawling over barriers to get food, including garbage. If you have a pickup service, put garbage out shortly before the truck arrives—not the night before. If you’re leaving several days before pickup, haul your garbage to a dump. If necessary, frequently haul your garbage to a dumpsite to avoid odors.

Keep garbage cans with tight-fitting lids in a shed, garage, or fenced area. Spray garbage cans and dumpsters regularly with disinfectants to reduce odors. Keep fish parts and meat waste in your freezer until they can be disposed of properly.

If bears are common in your area, consider investing in a commercially available bear-resistant garbage container. Ask your local waste management company if bear-resistant garbage containers are available or if individually purchased containers are acceptable and compatible with their equipment.

For more information about how to prevent human-bear conflict around your home and small livestock as well as bear safety tips while hiking, camping, or hunting visit bearwise.org

Bear attacks

Avoiding bear encounters, using the advice above, is the best way to prevent negative interactions between people and bears. Although bear attacks are rare, anytime you are in bear habitat you should know what to do should an encounter occur. Here are tips should you come in close contact with a black bear:

Stop, remain calm, and assess the situation. If the bear seems unaware of you, move away quietly when it’s not looking in your direction. Continue to observe the animal as you retreat, watching for changes in its behavior.

If a bear walks toward you, identify yourself as a human by standing up, waving your hands above your head, and talking to the bear in a low voice. If you have bear spray, get it out of the holster and remove the safety.

If you cannot safely move away from the bear or a black bear continues toward you, scare it away by clapping your hands, stomping your feet, and yelling. If you are in a group, stand shoulder-to shoulder and raise and wave your arms to appear intimidating. The more a black bear persists the more aggressive your response should be. If you have bear spray, use it.

Do not run from the bear. Bears can run up to 35 mph and running may trigger an attack. Climbing a tree is generally not recommended as an escape from an aggressive black bear, as black bears are adept climbers and may follow you up a tree.

In the unlikely event a black bear attacks you (where actual contact is made), fight back aggressively using your hands, feet, legs, and any object you can reach. Aim for the eyes or spray bear spray into the bear’s face.