Imagine waking up every day to the sound of a 550-pound bear rummaging beneath your home, causing thousands of dollars in damage and turning your life into a living nightmare. This was the harsh reality for Ken Johnson, a California homeowner, who endured a month-long ordeal with an unwelcome guest. But here's where it gets controversial—after weeks of failed attempts by state officials, it took a bizarre strategy involving paintballs filled with vegetable oil to finally evict the bear. And this is the part most people miss: the solution wasn’t just about removing the bear; it was about understanding why it was there in the first place and how to prevent future visits.
The saga began in late November when a massive male black bear took up residence in the crawl space beneath Johnson’s Altadena home. Surveillance footage revealed the bear squeezing in and out of the tiny space, causing extensive structural damage and even twisting gas pipes, creating a dangerous situation. Johnson, already reeling from losing his job and surviving the Eaton fire, found himself in a desperate fight to reclaim his home. On a GoFundMe page, he shared, 'I had to shut off my utilities just to stay safe—it was a terrifying and costly ordeal.'
After weeks of failed eviction attempts by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife—including traps, bait, and noisemakers—Johnson reached out to the BEAR League, a Lake Tahoe-based organization specializing in bear removal emergencies. Their unconventional approach? A team member crawled into the crawl space and fired paintballs filled with vegetable oil at the bear’s backside. The strategy worked—the bear left within 20 minutes, and the ordeal was finally over. But the question remains: was this method humane, or could it have been handled differently? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
To prevent the bear’s return, the BEAR League loaned Johnson electric 'unwelcome mats,' which successfully deterred the bear when it attempted to revisit. This highlights a critical point: many bear encounters are preventable with simple measures like securing crawl spaces. As the BEAR League noted, 'A poorly-secured crawl space is an open invitation for a winter visitor like this bear.' They’ve been responding to similar calls in the Lake Tahoe region for 30 years, emphasizing education and coexistence.
This story isn’t just about a bear eviction; it’s a reminder of the delicate balance between humans and wildlife. Should homeowners in bear country be held more accountable for securing their properties? Or is it the responsibility of wildlife organizations to intervene more proactively? Let us know what you think. Meanwhile, Johnson can finally breathe easy, though the road to repairing his home—and his peace of mind—is just beginning.
