Use of 'medieval-style' booby-trap recommended by Colorado officials

Lining your house with wooden boards filled with nails might seem like a bizarre idea, but – to a degree – it's actually a tactic that's recommended by Colorado Parks and Wildlife as a bear deterrent.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the use of a proper 'unwelcome mat' can help keep bears away from doors and windows, thus preventing entry into a home. The 'unwelcome mat' is simple – it's a board with nails in it. The bears step on the nails, don't like it, and leave the scene. That being said, the specifications of how it's made are crucial for a bear's safety, as it's important to not use nails or a design that cause damage to a bear's paw.

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According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, making an 'unwelcome mat' to black bear specifications involve using full or half sheets of the thickest plywood available. Nails should then be placed in the board to stick out three-quarters of an inch to an inch, placed two inches apart. Use of a ruler is recommended for proper positioning. Ideally, the mat should extend past the sides of a door or window by two feet on each side and should stick out far enough to prevent a bear from being able to lean onto the door from beyond the edge of the mat.

Now – it must be noted that installing this sort of primitive deterrent can be dangerous to humans entering or exiting the home. Use obvious signage to inform people of the presence of the board. Brightly-colored tape can also be put on the 'unwelcome mat' to make it more obvious. It's also important to check rules and regulations related to your property before implementing this deterrent tactic, including both those set up by a homeowners' association or the community, as well as local law.

To make an 'unwelcome mat' even more effective, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has provided instruction for how to electrify it. Those instructions and more information on 'unwelcome mats' can be found here.

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Using deterrent tactics, such as 'unwelcome mats,' are important when it comes to keeping Colorado's wildlife wild. Tactics that discourage human-bear interactions or those that prevent bears moving closer to civilization can help prevent scenarios in which bears cause problems, sometimes leading to euthanization. Other tactics should also be used, such as keeping food and trash inaccessible and hazing bears away with loud noises when they get too close to a home.