Bear conflicts with humans down in 2016

Posted 9/1/16

As of Wednesday, nine grizzly bears from either Jackson or Cody had been relocated, stemming from conflicts with humans, said Luke Ellsbury, Game and Fish large carnivore biologist in Cody.

During the entirety of 2015, Game and Fish captured 45 …

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Bear conflicts with humans down in 2016

Posted

They’re not out of the woods yet, but data indicates a decline in grizzly bear conflicts so far this year.

As of Wednesday, nine grizzly bears from either Jackson or Cody had been relocated, stemming from conflicts with humans, said Luke Ellsbury, Game and Fish large carnivore biologist in Cody.

During the entirety of 2015, Game and Fish captured 45 grizzly bears in 51 capture events in an attempt to prevent or resolve conflicts, according to a 2015 Game and Fish report.

“Keep in mind that we have a lot of time between now and bears going to dens, and we anticipate further conflicts between bears and humans this fall,” said Dan Thompson, statewide supervisor of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s large carnivore management section in Lander. The department will continue to do everything it can to proactively reduce the potential for conflicts with outdoor enthusiasts, Thompson said.

Ellsbury said he attributes the relocation declines to good whitebark pine nuts, good berry production and grizzlies consuming army cutworm moths — high-calorie insects visited mostly in the high country of the Absaroka Mountains.

“We’re getting pretty good counts on moth sites,” he said.

“We do tend to see a reduction in site-specific conflicts and subsequent management actions after a high year of conflicts and mortalities as we documented last year,” Thompson said.

Wild chokecherries are producing now. Rose hips will be the last fruit to ripen this fall, Ellsbury said. With that in mind, hunters and others should use caution. Bears will bed down in those brushy areas, too, making them a “good place to get yourself in trouble.”

Bears are in pre-hibernation hyperphagia mode. The bruins may be preoccupied, stuffing their faces with whatever food is available, and they might be oblivious to what transpires around them until a human inadvertently invades their space.

The bears may be in lower elevations or next to hiking trails, Ellsbury said.

“Carry bear spray if you’ve got it. It’s a great tool,” he said.

Although black bears typically occupy denser cover, they can be just as dangerous as grizzlies when protecting young or guarding a food source, Ellsbury said.

Bear aware

Homeowners in bear country should continue keeping bear attractants out of reach, and people visiting the backcountry need to keep their eyes and ears peeled.

“We may not be having as many conflicts, but that doesn’t mean we want the number to go up,” Ellsbury said.

Bears are still active, Thompson said. With this dry, hot weather, the department stresses the importance of being bear aware and reporting bear sightings. “We thank the public for their cooperation and hope people have a successful and safe fall,” he said.

Editor's note 9/7/2016: This version removes incorrect information stating that grizzly bear deaths had also apparently declined so far this year. Data from the U.S. Geological Survey indicates that the number of known mortalities has actually increased in 2016. From January through August of this year, 30 grizzly deaths have been reported while 25 mortalities were known during that same period last year. The Tribune regrets the error.

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