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A Shocking Device For Protection Of Concentrated Food Sources From Black Bears, Stewart W. Breck, Nathan Lance, Peggy Callahan

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conflicts with American black bears (Ursus americanus) are increasing in rural and suburban areas throughout the United States. Human encroachment on bear range has increased availability of garbage, bird feeders, beehives, and other food sources. Preventing bears from attaining food from anthropogenic sources could mitigate these conflicts. We tested a new shocking mechanism that is being marketed to deter black bears from attaining food from clumped anthropogenic food sources. The Nuisance Bear Controller (NBC) has two 6-volt batteries wired to an automobile vibrator coil/condenser that emits 10,000–13,000 volts through a disk that triggers the device. Activation of the NBC only …