Autumn can be a busy time for bears. They need to fatten up for their winter hibernation, so they spend much of every day seeking food. Your trash can may not be an ideal food source, but it'll do in a pinch. And so will some other things around your home, if you live in bear country.
If there's a chance bears could visit, it's good to be BearWise. This national program adopted in many states provides a base of knowledge about bear activities, and how to avoid being a part of them. Oregon Fish & Wildlife is part of the BearWise program, and ODFW's Mathew Vargas, a wildlife biologist in the Rogue District, checks in with some bear avoidance tips.