Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

I heard on the radio that this year the wild blue berries were down in production and that there have been a lot of fires. Usually when that happens a lot of bears start showing up. I started to see signs of something around and was hoping it was just big raccoons. Last night a neighbor said they saw four crossing towards the barn yards. Just great, that's all I need, I have apple trees near the house but it worries me because the last time the bears were so bad they started breaking into people's houses and barns. It wouldn't take much for them to break the old barn windows and get in after the chickens and rabbits. They killed all my closest neighbour's rabbits.

Couple a good yapping dogs might help . On a better note I can’t believe the # of Monarch butterflies that have hatched around here . More than I’ve ever seen in the 24 yrs we’ve been here . Getting ready to head south soon I reckon .

Yes @ross We have more Monarchs here than I have ever seen.

Same here with monarchs, actually many other types as well.
I don't have a dog, I miss the old farm collies, they were smart alert dogs but also had that high pitched bark and barked everything out of the country.

Lots of butterflies here too, some I haven't seen before, just beautiful.

I noticed lots of different butterflys this year.

Kinda scary bears coming around. I offered my brother some hens for eggs, he replied" Are you crazy! It will bring every bear around for miles and they will just break into the coop and kill them all." He lives way up north. He has them now when he comes home with groceries ( it a 90 mile drive to get them) hes often had the bears get into the back of his truck and try to pry open the cooler, usually not successful because they are standing on the cooler. The cooler is empty by this time so the bear is just getting residue scents. They carry a gun if they go out anywhere.

A couple yapping dogs you say Ross? Did you know that Chihuahua dogs are bear dogs? Yappy. Aggressive. And picture a bunch of twenty or so after a bear. Bear would get one or two probably, but the others just swarming around. And the alpha human with them with a spear or gun would do the killing. Amazes me some times the symbiosis we have developed with various animal species.

Farrier1987 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:40 am

A couple yapping dogs you say Ross? Did you know that Chihuahua dogs are bear dogs? Yappy. Aggressive. And picture a bunch of twenty or so after a bear. Bear would get one or two probably, but the others just swarming around. And the alpha human with them with a spear or gun would do the killing. Amazes me some times the symbiosis we have developed with various animal species.

I wondered what they were bred for, I can actually see that since they are fearless and most bears are actually easily scared of by yapping dogs. The only thing is around here chihuahuas are also known as snacks for wolves!

Anyone know if there is a smell that repels bears? Sometimes you have to be careful about smells with them, apparently citronella the stuff in mosquito repellant attracts them.

Boy did I predict that one right!!! Bears in Gatineau are almost plagued level, one even went into down town Ottawa. Everyone is walking around saying why so many bears, they should follow poultry talk Ontario lol! They are going into the city of Gatineau. However the small towns around here are keeping kids and pets in at night, after dark the bears take over. They even come into the yard of the nursing home where my mom is. I see bears almost every day going to and from work. I had some in the yard here but I'm a very territorial male lol so they stay away from the crazy guy. The deer have returned so I think I have driven them off but I leave all the yard lights on at night, they seem shy about stepping into the light at night. Anyway if you are planning to go hiking in the Gatineau hills or park make sure to bring a friend or two, preferably one who runs slower than you!!!

If they rely that heavily on blueberries, then I'm not surprised...my blueberry bushes didn't flower this year, at all.