Will Leaving Outside Lights On Deter Bears?

Residents who are experiencing nocturnal visits from bears may be advised to install motion-sensitive outdoor lights, which should be very bright and aimed outward from the building. This can make animals feel less secure than when under the cover of darkness. However, an idle house or street light is not going to repel a bear in any way. Instead, a light triggered by a motion sensor could temporarily frighten and deter a bear.

Electric fencing and motion-activated lights can be enough to scare bears away from your yard. For your home, you may want to install bars or grates over the windows, as bears can smash through glass. Motion detectors that trigger loud music or flashing lights can help discourage bears off. Electric fencing can help discourage bears, but a very hungry bear may plow through despite shocks.

Motion-sensitive lights can be helpful in deterring bears from getting too close. Anything noisy set up outside, such as a string of tin, can be used to scare bears off. However, a flashlight will not blind or strobe the bear, but instead make you look like a threat and enrage them.

To use sound, scent, or electronic deterrents, consider leaving a radio on, talking shows with a human voice, using bleach/ammonia or pine-based products, or installing a chain link fence and razor wire across the top. Dogs can also work to keep out black bears, but they may ignore the motion lights.

Flashlights do not scare bears, but they can be harmful to beneficial wildlife like bats and songbirds. To move garden lights over to the path area, turn on/off by an outdoor Z-wave switch. Security lights don’t deter animals, but they can harm them.


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How do you keep bears away from your house at night?

Bearicuda Inc., a leader in bear and animal resistant cans and enclosures, emphasizes the importance of bear-awareness in bear-populated areas. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has published an article reminding everyone to stay alert and aware of bears in their community. Bear-proofing your property, including homes and vehicles, not only keeps you and your family safer but also helps keep bears wild. Bears belong in their natural habitat and search for food there, not in residential areas.

Being proactive and not making it easy and appealing for bears to visit your property helps prevent conflicts between humans and bears. Bear-proofing is especially crucial during the summer months, as bears are actively foraging for food, especially as fall approaches. Black bears are naturally smart and curious, always looking for the next meal that requires the least amount of effort. By following the proper precautions, people can prevent conflicts with bears and other wildlife, keeping their property, neighborhood, and bear population safe.

What scares bears the most?

To deter a bear from approaching, it is recommended to make loud noises, such as yelling, banging pots and pans, or using an air horn. In order to create the impression of a larger entity, it is recommended to wave one’s arms and, if accompanied by another individual, to stand in close proximity with arms raised above the head.

Are bears scared of light at night?

Bears are generally indifferent to light sources, and they are not likely to bring a porch light to your doorstep. Most bear species sleep for only a few hours, usually before dawn, which is similar to the sleep schedule of a college student. However, they are still active and roaming around while street lights are on, indicating that they are not as receptive to light as they are to other animals.

What smells do bears hate?

The use of cayenne pepper and household ammonia is a common practice among campers to deter bears. The pepper’s irritants are thought to cause discomfort to bears, while the ammonia’s odor is believed to be a source of irritation that keeps bears at bay.

What smell do bears hate the most?

The use of household ammonia cups has been demonstrated to cause irritation to bears, thereby deterring them from approaching the site in question. It is recommended that all items with an unpleasant odor, such as food, waste, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent, be stored in the same area.

What deters bears from coming around?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What deters bears from coming around?

Noisemakers are effective in deterring bears from approaching or heading towards a camp or settlement. However, they may not immediately deter the bear, especially if the bear has previous experience with noise deterrents. Bear spray is best used when deterring a bear at close range. A study of Alaska bear encounters found that 98 of those who used bear spray were uninjured by the bear, while the remaining 2 received minor injuries that required no hospitalization.

Bear spray is more effective at interrupting a bear attack and reducing the chance of injury. The active ingredient in bear spray is oleoresin capsicum, which irritates the eyes, nose, and lungs, causing severe but temporary eye irritation and breathing difficulty.

To buy bear spray, ensure the canister is labeled “for deterring bear attacks” and weighs at least 225 grams (7. 9 ounces). Check the canister’s expiry date and replace it when necessary. Purchase a belt or chest holster to carry the spray, and remove the cable ties that keep the safety clip in place after making the purchase. Being BearSmart can prevent unwanted encounters from happening in the first place, making bear spray the last resort.

How to scare off a black bear at night?

To scare away bears, make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans from a safe distance. Remove potential attractants like garbage, bird seed, or pet food when the bear leaves. Ask neighbors to remove these. Check your yard for bears before letting out your dog. If you see a bear before it notices you, stand still and enjoy the moment. Move away quietly in the opposite direction. If you encounter a bear that’s aware of you, don’t run, as running may trigger a chase response. Back away slowly and wait for the bear to leave. Watch Staying Safe in Bear Country for more information on responding to different interactions with black and grizzly bears.

What to do if a black bear is outside your house?

To avoid encounters with black bears, avoid running away or approaching them. Spread your arms or coat, make noise with yelling or banging pots and pans, and spray bear spray as they approach. Bird feeders, unsecured pet food, garbage, and grills may bring bears to your neighborhood. As black bear numbers increase in North American communities and more people move into bear habitats, conflicts between bears and people have risen. To avoid conflicts, take simple steps, whether you live in bear country or are just visiting.

Do outdoor lights deter animals?

Security lights may seem like a simple solution to protect your home from wildlife, but they don’t deter them in the long run. Motion-activated lights can scare raccoons away for the first time, but they won’t work over time. Raccoons are nocturnal and prefer to hunt in the dark, so bright light can disorient them and make them think they’re exposed to their natural predators. Wildlife expert Aaron Carlson said that over time, security lights do not deter raccoons. Instead, you can use a motion-detection sprinkler, raccoon-proof trash cans, or repellents like ammonia to keep raccoons out of your yard.

Do outdoor lights keep bears away?

Visual deterrents, including flashlights, torches, and flashbulbs, have been employed to deter bears at night; however, there is a paucity of literature examining their efficacy and optimal deployment strategies. Such deterrents serve to alert intruders to the presence of a property owner or occupant.

Are outdoor lights a deterrent?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Are outdoor lights a deterrent?

The strategic use of home automation equipment and planning can effectively deter criminal activity by employing lighting techniques to enhance security, instill a sense of safety, and reduce crime rates.


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Will Leaving Outside Lights On Deter Bears?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Rafaela Priori Gutler

Hi, I’m Rafaela Priori Gutler, a passionate interior designer and DIY enthusiast. I love transforming spaces into beautiful, functional havens through creative decor and practical advice. Whether it’s a small DIY project or a full home makeover, I’m here to share my tips, tricks, and inspiration to help you design the space of your dreams. Let’s make your home as unique as you are!

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  • Was backpacking as a teenager near Anchorage, Alaska with my father and kid brother. Around 1995. Hiked past a caution tape and sign that said fresh grizzly bear kill earlier in the day, then went up the mountainside to make camp with a view. When we were eating our soup for dinner I remember being concerned because the wind was at our backs and blowing downhill. Later that night, I was the only one awake in the tent. It was late summer in Alaska so still partially light out. It was very windy and the tent was flapping around. Then I noticed the tent being pushed inward right next to me more than the wind would have done, at a point like something was poking it. I heard deep, heavy breaths and footsteps crunching the dry tundra just barely over the sound of the wind and realized what it was. I covered my head with my sleeping bag and began to pray. I wanted to wake my dad so badly but didn’t dare make a sound or breathe even as it was clear the bear was curious. Seemed like forever and I was reckoning with my own eminent death and that of my father and brother. Sounds stopped and after a while I woke my dad. I fell asleep from exhaustion, but my dad didn’t sleep the rest of the night, and at one point he also heard the bear’s crunching footsteps circling the tent and heard it grunting. The next morning, we got the courage to unzip the tent and cautiously look around. When we got out, we found blueberry smeared all over my side of the tent from the bear’s nose. About 20 feet away there had been a mound of marmot holes, but now a six-foot wide pit has been dug on the spot.

  • I’ve had many encounters with black bears over the years. From meeting them in the woods to seeing them in the middle of the town trying to get into trash cans. Not once has a black bear done anything to threaten me. In fact, quite the opposite. Except for some of them getting into trash they always run away. Those that are in the trash don’t always run immediately but do after some yelling, throwing rocks or even popping them in the butt with a pellet rifle. However, when encountering grizzlies/brownies you realize you’re not at the top of the food chain. Totally different experience.

  • Really thought a couple of these very calm people were going to have a mama surprise at any minute. There were some pretty young ones in there. Guess they were over the hump tho luckily. I’ve seen mama go absolutely batshit crazy when the person wasn’t even LOOKING at her “cubs”, and they had to be yearlings at best. Man there’s nothing like an enraged mama! Thanks for the clips🐻🤘

  • #3. Don’t confuse stupidity with bravery. That guy seemed so oblivious to how dangerous his actions were. He only has guts if guts are what you get when your brain dies and falls down into the stomach. He’s probably one of the frustrating people though who “la la las” his way blissfully through construction sites causing cranes to fall over and bulldozers to go veering off onto a highway causing a multi-car pile up. Ultimately leaving a fire, chaos, and smoldering bodies in his wake as he cheerfully licks his ice cream cone and “la la las” some more. That bear probably ate a family that figured it might be safe once that dope made his way through the door.

  • While camping out over ten years ago, I had a nightmare sleeping in my tent, of extreme vividly of a bear attack! Got in my car slept a while, decided to go down the road to get coffee, half a mile down the road was a black bear, running away from the campground! (Never had bear issues, camping in Alaska for ten years!) Very odd! 🤔

  • Thanks for the scary but not too gruesome bear stories collection and decent narration. Bears are a common phobia for good reason and one of mine too, give ’em room and treat with respect. A short story for ya. ~ Several decades ago, late 70’s-ish, I, as a young hard-working guy, tree planted for a couple of years between other jobs~ worked with many fine people and saw a tonne of country. My first gig was on Vancouver Island for a big forestry company doing re-plants on mountain sides where other attempts had often failed. I was on a mostly local native crew with 7-10 of usually, sometimes less, and we got paid by the hour to deep plant, add soil, build shade houses with bark, anywhere from 300-700 trees a day each, slow work, steep grades, big boulders and pits, brutal, just under rock-climbing. We all did not like bears to various degrees, especially black bears as they are quite unpredictable. On a hot summers day we head to our next job, a rock slide that had been done several times before with total failure. Got there and off we went up the hill. Upon reaching the peak of the mountain we were on it was time to take a break, get the belts and pouches off and have lunch, pick berries or what-ever chat and look at the view after a good 2hr climb, nice, until, we walked upon a giant steaming of blueberry bear crap in the middle of the deer trail. We all sort of did the wtf-oh-no look and gripped our madox’s (sic planting adze), and very, very quietly backed our way to the path we came up and slowly (to make no noise) headed down the first 100 feet then hopped our way back to crummy (the crew truck) a quarter mile away down the 45 degree slope-from-hell.

  • This is exactly why when I hike in bear country I only go with a partner and I take a night stick. If one has bear trouble simply smash the knee cap of said partner and slowly walk away. The screaming and flailing antics of partner will draw the bears interest and while he eats the partner it gives plenty of time to get away from the area. All bear hunters know this tactic, its much better than bear spray.

  • When a bear stands on its hind legs it’s trying to get a better look at you, not be threatening. 9 times out of 10 bears are just curious about what the hell we are, we aren’t natural prey for bears. The best thing to do is to stay calm and not run, if you run you look like prey and it sets off their chase response.

  • I ran up on a black bear with 4 cubs whenever I was 10 years old with my dad. We decided to mushroom hunting and whenever we walked on the hill there she was laying down and the cubs were just running around playing with each other. I started to run back down the hill and that’s when the momma bear came out of the bush and started to come towards me and my dad. Luckily my dad grabbed me and told me to slowly walk down the hill, don’t run because she would attack. We got back on our four wheelers and haven’t been back there since. She was at least 300 pounds easily.

  • Don’t ever do what the guy on the right did in the last segment. Stay calm, stay still or slowly back away, and try to look as docile and non threatening as possible. He was challenging that bear by doing all the aggressive things. Odds are that was a bluff charge that the bear did only because he felt threatened by the aggressive actions of the guy who didn’t know what he was doing. Also this article lied about shooting the dirt next to it. The guy shot and wounded the bear and they followed it to kill it. In Alaska you can shoot a bear in self defense. People up there know enough about bears that that shooting would have been illegal because they aggravated the bear.

  • Whoever makes these articles obviously doesn’t understand anything about bears if he tries to imply that all those black bears posed much of any threat in these articles. Black bears are about 1/30th as dangerous as a grizzly and despite outnumbering grizzlies by 15x they are responsible for only one third of fatal bear attacks.

  • Black bear: BACK AWAY SLOWLY. if he follows you make yourself big and loud and keep backing up. Try to scare it with noise. DO NOT RUN. Black bears are scared easily and almost never attack humans (unless there are cubs). Brown bear: you’re fucked. If it starts to follow you closely STOP backing up. Brown bears are much bigger and more aggressive than black ones. Stand your ground and if it plays with you (attack) DO NOT FIGHT BACK. Let it bite and fling you around. It will eventually leave you alone. DO NOT FIGHT BACK while it’s attacking you. Even though that will be your natural reaction This will make it worse. Then play dead until it eventually leaves. Make sure you do not get up until the bear is 100% gone or it WILL come back and attack again. If you try to intimidate and get loud with a brown bear. Say goodbye to life.

  • Really happy that the very experienced hunters did not end up killing the bear out of fear it takes some real experience and self-control to manage yourself when encountered by an animal that may want to kill you out of fear or even want to eat you! I have been a hunter in western Washington most all of my adult life and have not had but two bear encounters both of which ended in the bear running in fright, I cannot imagine what I would do while encountering a bear that did not run off but if I ever did encounter a couple of young bears in the woods I would immediately leave for fear that the mother might come calling. One thing I just thought of now when perusal one of the grizzlies stand up trying to be intimidating itself, perhaps bears see us as being confrontational right off the bat simply because we stand on two legs, as standing on two legs appears to be an intimidation tactic that bears employ. I’m by no means a bare expert and just speculating, but perhaps the fact that we are by people may be confrontational by default.

  • People don’t realize bears have crazy smelling abilities. So if you have bear spray, don’t wait until the bear is charging you ready to attack. Spray that so they can get a whiff of it while they’re still curious if they wanna eat you or not. Just spray it in the air towards the bear and the bear will most likely not wanna eat you if they smell that but like human once they’re ready to attack, that adrenaline kicks in and they go all out. Even if you’re spraying bear spray.

  • That last group was deliberately provoking the bear. They had the gun pointed at it and were trying to start something. That one guy kicking dirt and making noises, then the other guy like “we should get out of here if we don’t want to kill it”. He knew at that moment that he would be killing that bear

  • I’m getting ready to go on a two week Ozark Trail hiking trip most likely won’t come across any black Bears but I just want to watch a bunch of articles on Bears before I possibly encounter one on this trip I’ve seen them before nature but only twice. So I’m gonna work out the anxiety before the possible encounter. Lol.

  • Pretty much 100% hyperbole in all cases. The humans were not really in danger. Bears (exception, Polar) don’t see humans as prey. We are a possible threat. And, like 90% of all possible threat situations, both sides just kind of play the “yes, i am a threat, just not to you; give me my space, you get yours. Mamma with cubs though… back off

  • Those hikers that encountered the two brown bears. those bears did not look very aggressive at the time they actually looked pretty chilled out. one of them was even panting a little bit which usually they won’t do if they’re on edge and they’re ready to attack. The panting would be semi loud so therefore they wouldn’t do it if they needed to be ready to attack. It would stop panting and close its mouth and listen so that it makes sure it is hearing everything it needs to hear

  • The last clip shows only two strengths a human has for defence Intimidation bluff (aka trying to look scary) And using guns (aka having something to cowar behind) Essentially meaning humans really have no real advantages against top predators, those two men should count themselves lucky that rifle was the only thing that saved their lives, humans are essentially useless without guns and if they didn’t have a gun those two would have easily become that bears next meal It’s really quite funny that humans think we’re top of the food chain yet without guns we can’t do shit to defend ourselves if a predator decides to attack, we are far from the top, actual top predators own that title

  • 4:09-5:30 imagine being back in the Ice age and your near a bear that is curious. It would have looked a lot like that situation with those fishermen and the bear. Only the mace wouldn’t be available for at least another 11,000-10,000+ years. If the bear attacks, you and your buddies just have sticks with sharp stones attached as defense. This is a world where the Grizzly bear is not the toughest and larger bear that they will be in the future. The Short faced bear is the largest bear and is up to 2500lbs with a 5ft height on all fours and 11ft high while standing up on its hind legs. These people had no guns or bear mace just sticks with sharp stones and their wits. Plus you dealt with Mammoths and Mastodons along with Bison, horses, Moose, Stage moose, wolves, American lions, and Camels. That’s how brave you needed to be to survive the wilderness of the Ice age.

  • That wasn’t a brave Hunter at the end, they intentionally enticed that bear into a charge so they could shoot at it. In the article clip before that those were not hikers they were fly fisherman you can clearly see the rods and reels in their hands and that bear was probably interested in them because he smelled fish.

  • Hey wait, wait a second. I’ve been on a bear and bear spray deep dive tonight and someone referenced “The Revenant” movie so I rewatched the bear attack clip. These adolescent/cubs in the first clip of this are making the same exact noises I heard just 20 minutes ago in the movie clip. Forgive me for not believing a movie when they did research for a scene. I thought it was a Hollywood Fairytale.

  • Just yell at it😂😂 Like 5 years ago, I woke up and thought my dad was taking out the trash, because the cans were by my basement window under the porch steps. Im like wtf its 1AM. I cpuldnt see outside the window and I went upstairs in the kitchen out on the porch and tirned the light on. Sure nuff there the big bastard was. Its like instinct to start yelling loud YOU GET GOING OUTTA HERE GO ON! Simply took off in a weird gallop like they do.

  • If you hike, fish, birdwatch or whatever and don’t carry a firearm capable of killing bears or moose… You’re a big dummy. I’ve seen people try to run off moose with bear spray… Didn’t work. The moose kept charging and had to be shot. That’s why I say sure bring your spray and I’ll bring my 12 guage or 350 Legend AR15. I know 350 Legend isn’t a huge round but I’d rather have 20 rounds of 350 in semi auto then 4 or 5 rounds in a bolt action.

  • #1 is very sad. It was not warning shot. He finished the bear. The guy provoked the bear. He challenged the bear by grunting and kicking dirt. If he would just put arms up, talk calmly to bear, and slowly back away, then bear probably goes on his way. I’m all for carrying fire power to defend yourself but this situation could have most likely been avoided.

  • Third article. A clueless Asian tourist “yes they’re in Australia as well, walking off of cliffs” doesn’t even think a bear is an actual bear. More like a koala bear. Very terrifying they have no idea what to do in life. You walk right up to a bear, what do you thinks going to happen. Especially while it’s eating. The only part terrifying is the Asian man blissfully unaware kf anything else but getting some food.

  • People never learn. Yes, like 95% of Bears don’t want anything to do with you, they might tolerate your presence and there might even be a small percentage of Bears that would cuddle you if given the chance… but if you meet the wrong bear one day, it’s not going to matterWhen they are hungry enough, desperate enough and not afraid of humans, it’s not going to go well for you. It just takes 1 Bear with no fear to end your life. They are too powerful, too intelligent and ultimately apex predators that have a breaking point nobody can match them is a fight and you’ll be the next Timothy Treadwell.

  • Omg, I’ve never thought to myself; ‘that bear is literally smarter than the human,’ like the guy literally walks passed nervously and STOPS before getting into the hotel. And if you ever encounter a bear that is not scared of people, and it goes after you, your duty is to put it down. God forbid some kid gets snatched in the woods by that same bear later on.

  • Does this narrator know anything about bear behavior or even live near bears? So, #6 is a bear hunt. The big blue thing is a bate canister, full of bear bate. The bears were fighting over the bait because they become territorial around food. The hunters in the tree aren’t afraid because they understand black bear behavior and knew they were OK. The guy in #3 was an idiot and should have been killed. Maybe these articles would frighten a city kid on their first camping trip. But, for an Idahoan who hikes, this seems like a joke.

  • These are all absolutely terribly… I’ve hiked out of skilak with dead reds on my back and ran into grizzlys that have shown more aggression than these 😂 Also that ladt one is why you should have bear spray over a gun, even a avid hunter couldnt keep their cool and land a kill shot while being charged. I gotta admit this click bait got me.

  • I was not shook. Of all the bear encounters I’ve seen/heard of, these are very tame. My dad once went for a wee in the middle of the night will camping and had a bear come up on him. My dad immediately ran and hid while the bear proceeded to rip his camp apart looking for him. It ended up finding and eating him, and then years later I was born. Then I watched this vid and realized, you’re not very good at this:)

  • Black bears aren’t really dangerous tho if one charged me a gun would be the last thing I’d defend myself with. If a brown bear charged the hunters from #1 this bullet would have sealed their fate. Just carry bear spray. Even if the bear still wanted to kill you it wouldn’t be able to because it can’t see after smelling bear spray.

  • That 1st vid happen to me in Yosemite but i was on the ground making noodles. He was scared running towards my buddy and i but looked up saw us then changed his direction. It was intense but we stayed calm. That bear ran across a fallen over tree that was over a gushing river so gratefully and like it was nothing.. i wouldve fell in and died fallen off a waterfall lol

  • #1 I get no real hunter wants to kill that bear in that situation. In that exact spot, with it charging, there are no “Warning Shots”. It sounds great in theory but you now have to rack another round while at the same praying the first shot had the desired affect. Your gun jams or that bear is faster than you expect and your done. You’re geting attacked because you were more worried about it’s safety than your own.

  • Well probably you see some educated people that know how to keep from getting the danger even though there are in it and then the guy shoots to warn him that’s how you do things man you don’t kill him they’re curious they’re just as curious to know what you’re doing as they are no one got killed in these articles no bear got killed that I can’t believe this all because they were smart enough to do the right thing it’s not necessary to kill him that there is ways out of things I wish people would learn you can’t scare them off by making a bunch of crappy sounds and trying to tell him no just be quiet once they figure it out that that there’s no threat they usually leave I have to say kudos the first time they put something on here and they didn’t kill him my gosh kudos to those people

  • That wouldn’t bother me I grew up in Bear Country in North Carolina my daddy had two rottweilers and he took one bear hunting and I went with him no we used to kill him and eat them then black bears they wouldn’t wouldn’t bother me this evening I gave that we went somewhere one time when they had one in a cage and I handed it a Coca-Cola and that black bear opened it up and drunk it no I think they’re precious

  • “Brave hunter lands a warning shot” lmao. He had a rifle, the rest of the people in the other encounters didn’t have a firearm. I’d say they were the brave ones. I do not enter the woods without a 44 magnum strapped to my chest. To face a bear without a firearm and not instinctively run takes some bravery.

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