The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is warning residents to remove bird feeders by April 1.
The state's estimated 5,000 black bears are just starting to leave their dens, and they’re hungry. In the spring, they eat what they can find—usually buds and leaves. Bears often seek easy food sources from humans, like garbage and bird feeders.
Andy Timmins is the Bear Project Leader at New Hampshire Fish and Game.
“… some people might enjoy seeing a bear at their bird feeder. The downside is you’re rewarding that animal with food and you’re teaching that animal to continue that type of behavior…”
Timmins says the more time bears spend around people, the shorter their lifespan.