Black Bears and Overnight Cooks

[crpngdth2001]

I live in a rural portion of West Virginia that has plenty of active Black Bears. This spring, we have seen several, as well as the results of many more visits with some of our neighbors. Nothing extreme, just the usual getting in the trash, bird feeders, etc.


This brings me to my question -overnight 'unattended' cooks. I've been doing my cooks more 'hot and fast' so I can put food on at 5am to 6am and still serve for dinner. I'd really prefer my usual 250* low and slow cooks overnight, like I did before moving here.


Am I right in thinking that leaving an unattended cook overnight in Black Bear country is ill-advised and I should keep doing it as I do? Or am I paranoid and should not worry? My fear is I wake up to a tipped over smoker that has started a fire, or has been beat to death by a bear trying to get inside. My Meadow Creek BX25 is not that 'hard' to tip over for a bear.

 

[Fooball]

Whoa....I'll never complain about racoons or armadillos or possums again down here. Or a lizard or two in the back porch screen room.

We have bears but not in the residential area I live in so I can't relate to your justified fear of something going haywire in the middle of the night.

Short of erecting a tall chain link fence cubicle I have no idea. Good luck.

 

[bschoen]

I will opine that your caution is justified.

 

[MustGoFast]

I've done overnight smokes in Northern Wisconsin where I've seen black bears during the day on our back patio. Oddly enough I had never thought about whether or not they would come for the party while I was sleeping.

In general most wild animals don't like smoke from a fire although I'm not sure a smoker is the same. I was using a WSM then so not sure if the hot outside would be enough to deter or if its something else.

Sorry I guess all i can say is it helps to not think about it

 

[Pife]

I smoke overnight in black bear country often. I have never had an issue with any critters and the smoker in action.

Loaded ice chests, food on the porch and bird seed in the back of the truck are a different story.

 

[ssv3]

I wouldn't do it. I've got black bears both at my home in the L.A. foothills and at the cabin in a neighboring county. As a matter of fact one rummaged through the trash last week and made a farking mess. Not the first time either as I ran him out of the backyard and at least he hasn't been coming around to the backyard. Then the mess they create brings in the farking racoons. :doh:

The ones at the cabin open up car doors for food and coffee left in the cars by mostly visitors. Last year the count of them breaking in cabins was21 with one aggressive bear being taken down by the game wardens. I make sure no kind of food left on the counters or cupboards.

I'd personally play it safe and keep doing what you're doing. I don't like having them join me for dinner and only cruise through and grab something else for dinner. Elsewhere:becky:

 

[Moose]

^^^^I'm with Sako on this - I wouldn't chance it.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

As long as there’s not a picnic basket left on the table, you should be fine.

Note: Yes, most of my life advice comes from 50 year old cartoons

 

[jkief]

^^^Thats flipping awesome!!!!^^^

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

Note: Yes, most of my life advice comes from 50 year old cartoons

That's where true wisdom comes from.

 

[crpngdth2001]

Thanks all for the responses. I think I'll keep doing what I'm doing, and if I need an earlier start I'll get up earlier and 'man the cook' the whole time, have outdoor lights on, etc. and not leave it unattended.



As much as I'd like to run overnight and sleep while cooking, I couldn't "bear" the thought of a bear destroying my first 'higher end' smoker that I saved for a couple years for.

 

[AceQue]

Couple of options you could consider is motion sensor lights or even a small electric fence around your smoker. Those should work to deter them, other than a barking dog of course

 

[crpngdth2001]

I do have motion sensor lights, and a large German Shepherd - however my workshop and cooking area are too far from the house for her to alert.

 

[ssv3]

I do have motion sensor lights, and a large German Shepherd - however my workshop and cooking area are too far from the house for her to alert.

That def helps.

I've got Blink cameras around the cabin and get wildlife on cam all the time. When the motions trigger I get an alert on my phone and know there is something around. When the cameras are off the neighbor's dog is a good indicator. He's always quiet and when he barks, I know there is something in the woods so I get out to the deck sure enough you can hear motion in the brushes or trees. A high caliber rifle or a shotgun just in case but pretty sure you've got that covered.

To be honest, the only thing that worries me is a huge male mountain lion roaming around. They're the ones to watch out for. I got him on cam one time in the front of the cabin. :twitch:

 

[HogGrog]

South Lake Tahoe, Thanksgiving 2021.

A non- hibernating local swiped my cutting boards off the picnic table 15 feet outside the condo’s back door. I’m glad it took the board and ignored the 14 lb turkey in the Bronco Joe!

Hold my beer. Aggressive tong snapping in defense of Thanksgiving dinners scared him off!

Video won’t post of the bear making off with the cutting board but no harm was done during the retrieval of the cutting board!

 

[ssv3]

South Lake Tahoe, Thanksgiving 2021.

A non- hibernating local swiped my cutting boards off the picnic table 15 feet outside the condo’s back door. I’m glad it took the board and ignored the 14 lb turkey in the Bronco Joe!

Hold my beer. Aggressive tong snapping in defense of Thanksgiving dinners scared him off!

Video won’t post of the bear making off with the cutting board but no harm was done during the retrieval of the cutting board!

I usually let my guards down during late fall through early spring because of hibernation but this makes me rethink because I know not all of them hibernate. The big mama bear ^^^ takes a nap or rests on my lower deck and unless you take the stairs down you won't see her. Was warned by neighbor because he'd seen her while I was absent. Probably can't tell by the pic but she's yuuuge!

 

[Mikhail]

Your post made me curious, so I looked it up. Apparently bears are very attracted to the smell of cooking grease from a grill. So, I would say no, don't do it.

 

[Dweverett]

I’ve thought about it before but haven’t had a problem (yet at least). They are very common here in northern CT — in fact, this is where the state chooses to drop off some that they capture in more populated areas elsewhere in the state

We had one go into the garage when people were right out there in the driveway. My daughter didn’t see it go behind her and didn’t notice till she went into the garage to grab something and saw it staring at her :shock:

Having said that, none have showed so far while running the rectec overnight.

 

[Hoss]

Old Timers say they used to be plentiful around here.Not anymore.I would load a 12 gauge up with some Buckshot and smoke on.May even have some bear meat to smoke if everything went right.

 

[ssv3]

Old Timers say they used to be plentiful around here.Not anymore.I would load a 12 gauge up with some Buckshot and smoke on.May even have some bear meat to smoke if everything went right.

They're protected here so if you shoot one you better have a good explanation.:grin: Hell, my neighbor at my home shot and killed a coyote that was trying to snatch his cat and they confiscated his gun. They returned it and all but still was a pain in the ass.