As we emerged from the cold frosty winter into the warmer days of spring, bears have been doing the same.

Bears have emerged from their dens after a long winter’s nap, and they are looking for food.

So its time again to talk about being “Bear Aware”.

That includes making sure you don’t leave anything out on your property to attract bears like garbage. Pet food, even a dirty BBQ could attract a hungry bear.

The further north you go, the more likely you are to come into contact with bears, but they are ranging furthur south into the Qu’Appelle Valley and South Saskatchewan River Valley.

Steps for bear-proofing your yard from the provincial government:

• Store garbage in a secure building or buy a bear-resistant container. Only put your garbage bin out on the morning of collection.
• Wash all recycling items and regularly clean garbage or recycling bins.
• Ensure pet food is stored where it is not accessible to wildlife.
• Only use bird feeders in the winter while bears hibernate.
• Do not add fish, meat, fat, oils, unrinsed eggshells or any cooked food to compost bins.
• Properly clean and store barbecue grills after each use.

Feeding bears is also illegal, as well as feeding other wildlife like wolves, cougars and coyotes.