But what is one to do when faced with a bear? These five tips are some important things to know about dealing with bears:
You Need to Know Not to Feed Bears: Black bears learn very quickly and those that come to associate food with people may become aggressive, and thereby dangerous. You Need to Know to Take Down Bird Feeders in the Summer Months: If you feed cats or dogs outside, only do so during the day, and take the food and containers inside at night. You Need to Know About Garbage: Store your garbage in airtight containers, in an area away from doors to the garage or basement. Wash trash containers weekly with a disinfectant solution to remove food odors. This also can help with our area's far more ubiquitous hungry/curious deer situation. You Need to Know About Being Chill: If you see a bear, remain calm and keep your distance. Alert the bear to your presence by clapping or talking. If the bear does not leave, slowly back away, avoiding eye-contact. From a distance, bang pots or use an air horn to scare the bear away. You Need to Know When Enough's Enough: If a bear becomes a constant nuisance or is responsible for continued damage problems, contact the NJ Department of Environmental Protection hotline at 877-WARN DEP (877-927-6337). 
