Anyone have any ideas or plans for a bear-proof welded steel cage.

[lenape13]

I'm working with a fellow looking to start a beekeeping project with his son.  Problem is, he's in bear country.  He's looking to build a cage from steel pipe and a plan would really come in handy.  Any ideas for the collective hive mind out there?  Come on, don't be shy.  You know you want to help...LOL

[contactme_11]

I'd use an electric fence.

[Robo]

Same here, a baited electric fence.   I have had up to 4 bears in my yard at one time and although they almost destroyed my chicken coop trying to get inside, they never touched a hive.  Once I put the electric fence around the coop as well, no more problems there either.

[harvey]

Bear steaks are delicious,  wonder if you could glaze them with honey?

[G3farms]

If he is in a remote area with no eletric you can get fence chargers that work on a 12 volt car battery that are very effective. If you keep the weeds off of the wire the battery will last almost 5 months before it need to be recharged.

[manfre]

If it's a sunny area, you can get an electric fence with a solar panel to keep the battery charged.

[lenape13]

Thanks for all your input and ideas.  He's going with the electric fence, but his son wants to know who's going to put all the collars on the bees.  (He used to the invisible fence for dogs...LOL)

[lakeman]

Put your electric fence around your bee lot, using barbed wire for the hot fence, then laying flat on the ground all around the peremeter of the fenced area a band of woven wire, which is wired to the ground rod, and ground lug of your charger. This assures a good hot spark to the bear, or other predator.

[Robo]

Don't forget to bait the wire.  Without them getting zapped on the nose or tongue,  their fur will insulate them and they will go right through the fence.   I run two lines baited with peanut butter,  and have not had one go through yet.  I use to run 3 wires, but the last few years have used just 2.   I imagine just 1 properly baited would work too, but I haven't been that brave.....yet!

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,6865.msg50597.html#msg50597

[wd]

could always throw in one or a couple of game cams or are they called a trail cam then again, it may fall under the name scouting camera

regardless, if possible, let everyone know how it turns out!