Today I wrote about spotting a black bear while on a walk with my sister-in-law in Connecticut.

I wouldn’t say I was scared exactly, but I certainly was uneasy, anxious to get inside, and quite happy to be on my way the next morning for the beach.

Okay, maybe I was scared.

Encounters with bears are becoming more common as the populations grow in Connecticut and in New York. Bears are smart, curious and have a keen sense of smell. They can detect the slightest scent of food.  And so I thought I’d post these tips from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

To avoid attracting them, the department suggests:

Remove your bird feeders from late March through November.

Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed. Wait until the morning of garbage pick-up before bringing it out.

Do not leave pet food outside.

Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell.

Clean grills after you use them.

And never, ever deliberately feed bears.

PHOTO: A bear makes its way through a backyard in Simsbury, Conn., earlier this year. My sister-in-law, Terri O’Donnell, took the picture.