I live in central NYS and the recommendation here is to have all bird feeders down and away as of April 1st due to the local black bear population. A few years ago we had a bear that didn't read the calendar. There was a mesh bird feeder, filled with black oil sunflower seed, hanging from a shepard's crook on our front lawn. When the dog and I came out for our morning walk her nose immediately went up into the air. From past experience I knew she was smelling a bear somewhere. We walked our usual circle and when we came around to the front of the house I saw that the crook was "missing." On further examination it had been bent down to the ground and the feeder pulled apart, left in so many pieces. It was the last time we left seed up for the post-hibernation bears to find.
For what it's worth, we were luckier than our neighbors. From our house the bear ambled across the road and settled in under their car port. Apparently he found a crock with a 50 lb. bag of cat food in it. When it was all over all that remained was broken pottery and a ripped up bag.
Bottom line, bears coming out of hibernation will eat just about anything.
That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.
snapper
