The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is recommending properly installed electrified wire as its most effective nonlethal tool for keeping black bears away from homes, livestock and other attractants. The July 29 guidance is directly relevant in Asheville and Buncombe County, where bears regularly move through residential areas in search of food.
An electrified barrier gives a bear a brief shock without causing permanent harm, according to the commission. That unpleasant experience can teach the animal to avoid the protected area and return to natural food sources, reducing the chance that repeated visits will develop into a larger conflict.
Ordinary four- or six-foot fences often are not enough because bears can climb them. Electrified wire can be added as a temporary or permanent barrier and switched off when protection is not needed, giving property owners options for seasonal attractants as well as year-round problem areas…