Last year we had a bear in the neighborhood that was raiding the chicken coups. It left when everyone secured their structures better, but it came back this year, and managed to get inside one of them and ate every last chicken. This is a reminder to those of us who live in areas near wildlife. You should know that 95 percent of the calls about conflicts with wildlife are the result of irresponsibility on the part of people. Access to trash, pet food, bird feeders and improper storage of food while camping make up the majority of the calls. Bears will dig under barriers or break them down to get food, including garbage. This is the time of year that bears are active. The want to put on weight prior to hibernation. You can avoid bears getting into your garbage by putting it out before the truck arrives, not the night before. Keep fish parts or meat waste in the freezer before you put in the garbage can. Spraying the can with disinfectants can help, too. You can ask your waste management company if they offer bear-proof containers. The cost isn’t that much.