JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Game and Fish officials have trapped and killed one black bear for habituated behavior within the town of Jackson. They are looking for another. And none of this has to happen.
The people at Game and Fish don’t want to remove animals by putting them down. They hate doing it. Everyone one of the red-shirted brigade says it is the part of the job they hate the most.
But they know the reason some people in neighborhoods experiencing conflict are reluctant to call is someone from the department will come out and kill the animal.
Not always true, said Mark Gocke, Game and Fish spokesperson. “We try every measure first to save these animals—bears, lions, whatever—but the problem is by the time we usually get the call the situation has gotten beyond the point of saving the animal. That last black bear had a documented 18 food rewards and likely more we don’t know about.”
Gocke says a large adult make was put down a couple of weeks ago for repeatedly finding food in trashcans in east Jackson. Another smaller boar is also being sought in the neighborhood for poking around residential streets looking for food.
East Jackson has been plagued off and on with black bear conflicts. Things have been quieter in recent years and for this summer as the forage has been good. “But this time of year, the berry crops are drying out and they are looking for anything,” Gocke said.
Game and Fish employees have been going door-to-door in the neighborhood asking residents to be better bear aware—putting up bird feeders for the year, securing trash, etc. An earlier heads up would also give the agency more options.
The bear being looked for now will be put down. Gocke says the likelihood of a black bear staying out of trouble once it has learned housed and trashcans mean food is very low.
