DRIGGS, Idaho — Idaho Fish and Game announced Tuesday that the department has received multiple reports of a sow black bear with three yearlings accessing garbage cans in the Driggs area.
The agency shared that the incidents have occurred within Teton County Idaho’s Bear Conflict Zones, where bear-resistant garbage containers are required.
“For the safety of both the community and the bears, Fish and Game is asking residents to properly store their garbage and other attractants by making them inaccessible,” the agency said in a statement.
Bears that become dependent on human food sources become a danger to themselves and to humans. They can become increasingly daring in their pursuit of food, bringing them closer to humans and potentially leading to dicey encounters. Unsecured food sources including residential garbage, bird feeders, dog food, chicken coops and even fruit trees can lure bears too close, so be aware of those factors.
“It is the responsibility of all of us to do our part and keep both people and bears safe,” Regional Wildlife Manager Curtis Hendricks said in a statement. “As soon as a bear finds an easy meal like garbage, they will continue to seek out food rewards that bring them into close proximity of humans.”
Idaho Fish and Game recommends taking the following precautions for bear and human safety:
- Remove bird feeders between April and mid-November
- Feed pets inside
- Get a bear-resistant trash can and use it properly; don’t tamper with latches, prop them open or over-fill them. If the can isn’t bear-resistant or if there is too much trash to fit in the can, keep it in a garage until the morning of pickup
- Do not keep coolers, refrigerators or freezers outside
- If a bear has already visited and found food, take the above steps right away. The bear will likely pay a couple more visits, but if it finds no food, it will eventually move on
Teton County residents can report bear problems to the Upper Snake Regional Fish and Game Office: (208) 525-7290.
