Kingslane garbage bear still awake

Any self-respecting bear should be tucked into a nice den for the winter, especially with the weather Carson Valley has been having, so far.

But the bear in Kingslane has been taking advantage of garbage cans to stay awake way past its bedtime, prompting the Nevada Department to set a trap in the Gardnerville community.

While Douglas County has an ordinance in place requiring residents to obtain a bear-proof garbage can should they be repeatedly raided, that rule does not extend to Minden or Gardnerville which have their own trash service.

Gardnerville approved offering bear-resistant totes to residents in May 2022, but at $300 per tote, there haven’t been many takers.

Minden set up a 50-50 cost sharing program for its bear resistant totes in July.

Short of purchasing a bear resistant tote, residents can keep bears out of their garbage by putting trash out on the morning of pickup. Spraying each bag with nonlemon Pine Sol can keep a bear out of the garbage. Residents should also keep pet food inside, and not leave trash on decks or crawlspaces.

For more information about living with bears, visit www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Bear_Logic/