re: I suspect a bear has been prowling around out back .. .
I was up on the ridge where my property is over the weekend and ALL three of my neighbours have had the bear on their front porches this past month.
All of these neighbours hung out bird feeders. (Gee, I'm from Florida but I already KNEW you don't do that.) The bear got into my neighbour's bin where he was KEEPING the birdfood and tore off the lid. Then stayed around for 3 days.
Thank God I don't have a front porch yet.
I'd need more than bear bells to go out walking.
