To the Editor:

As an eighth-grader at The Wilson School in Mountain Lakes, I am writing in response to recent letters about black bears by Robert Gudger, Janet Piszar and Bruce Eden. While I personally feel that bear management should be strictly nonlethal, I would like to point out that the whole issue could be lessened if we simply take measures to stop attracting bears to our homes.

In the fall, bears are storing food for hibernation and come much nearer to humans in their search. You can take steps to ensure that they will not bother you. Any pets, like dogs and cats, should be indoors after dark, or watched closely when they have to go out after sunset. If you have any bird feeders outdoors, bring them inside at night or suspend them from a tree more than 12 feet above the ground. Make sure that your garbage either is inside until shortly before pickup, or is sealed tightly. If there is no food available in your yard, the bear will have no reason to be there. If you do encounter a bear, stay inside and call the police. Chances are it will be gone before they arrive. If you are outside, do not run. This will make you seem like prey to the bear. Do not make eye contact, and back away slowly. A black bear should not be approached under any circumstances, especially if it has cubs. The main thing to do when coming across a bear is not to panic. In all probability, the bear is more scared of you than you are of it, and will not wait around. Rather than use lethal weapons to control bears, why not take these simple measures to avoid attracting them in the first place?

FLANNERY JAMES

Boonton