We have black bears on a regular basis here on the side of Mitchell Hill SW
of Fall City. In fact, our first spring visit just occured yesterday
morning much to our delight. Buttercups sure are yummy, they think :-) May
through early June they are here often, as well as in September. Much of
the summer they seem to stick to the deeper forested area up the hill behind
us. I tend to put feeders away for a week after seeing them or spotting
fresh scat on our property. If I don't see new sign, they go back up.
While I see new signs of them they stay away. I've only had one demolition
of feeder party happen thus far this way. It may be to my advantage to have
5+ acres, thus there is a lot of other goodies for them here as well in our
forest and open grassy meadows of buttercups, etc... to keep them from
feeling a desire to rampage past the house. These bears also are likely not
as dependant on human goodies for a good time as in the more populated areas
in Bellevue already mentioned here, so that might come into consideration as
well.

Bears are special...even when one has to scoop up bear scat off the lawn!
:-)

Alan Bauer
Fall City, WA
alan_bauer at msn.com