Oregon Public Broadcasting

A Yachats woman convicted of feeding bears outside her home was ordered by a judge Thursday to stay away from her property for three years.  Pete Springer reports.

A Lincoln County judge ordered Karen Noyes to leave her home by the end of August and to stay away for three years.

Noyes was convicted of harassing wildlife earlier this month.  She had been feeding more than a dozen bears on her property for the past year.

Michelle Dennehy is a spokeswoman with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.  She says it’s never a good idea for people to feed bears.

Michelle Dennehy: “Just, they lose their natural fear of people and then they come to associate people with food.”

Dennehy says wildlife officers had to kill four bears who were threatening human safety on property near Noyes’ house.

Michelle Dennehy: “They were breaking into buildings looking for sacks of food.”

During the sentencing, the judge called Noyes' bear feeding “stunning and offensive”.  He also fined her $5000.