Black Bear Damage in Brambles
Return to Wildlife
Black bear damage occurs when fruit is ripe or near-ripe. Bears eat fruit directly off plants; they are likely to break canes or crush plant parts during feeding activity. Black bears are large animals and capable climbers. Look for tracks or scat around plants or large numbers of broken/ damaged plants close together.
Black bear.
(Photo: Adam Cegledi, Shutterstock.com)
Black bear tracks.
(Photo: Unnamed photographer, US National Parks Service)
Management:
- Protect blackberries using electric fencing with at least 8,000 volts.
- Use propane cannons, activated when fruit is almost ripe, to deter bears from the area during period of harvest.
