WILSON, Wyo. — Heads up, everyone. Bear activity isn’t over with just because it’s mid-November.
A black bear attempted to get into some trash cans in the Aspens neighborhood last week, according to multiple reports. The bear managed to knock over a few bear-resistant trash cans, but the bear was unsuccessful in getting into the secured cans, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) confirmed to Buckrail.
“Although we are moving into the winter months and are seeing colder temperatures, bears are still active and it’s important to continue securing all attractants,” WGFD Public Information and Education Specialist Raegin Akhtar said.
Aspens Management emailed residents to inform them of the bear sighting, and to remind them that bear-proof garbage containers are required throughout Teton County.
“Teton County is once again in the neighborhood issuing citations for non-compliant trash containers,” the email states. “Please note that fines start at $750.00 per day for any residence that does not have a self-locking bear-resistant trash can.”
The Aspens sees its fair share of wildlife, including moose and grizzly bears.
According to Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, bear activity this late in the year is not unexpected given the warmer weather.
“With little to no snow on the ground and mild temperatures, bears are still active and looking for food across the region,” the org wrote in a Tuesday press release. “Bears will delay entering hibernation if weather permits them to continue to find food resources. Recent studies suggest that the effects of climate change are driving changes in bear behavior with bears entering their dens later in the fall and emerging earlier in the spring (Kurth et al, 2024). This increases the likelihood that human-bear interactions will increase as bears are active for longer periods each year.”
