JACKSON, Wyo. — A pair of black bears has been spotted in the Cottonwood Park neighborhood near Middle School and High School roads this week, mostly napping up in a tree.
Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer caught a glimpse of the bears on Monday, Sept. 23.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) was on the scene Monday afternoon, blocking off the area for residential safety and ready to set a trap if necessary.
Bears have been creeping into residential areas in search of easily accessible food this month. Last week, a residential security camera caught footage of two grizzly bears knocking over bear-proof trash bins in the Cache Creek area. A week prior to that, a family of black bears was hanging around the residential area at the base of Snow King.
On Monday, a reader emailed in a photo of bears getting into unsecured garbage near Latitude 43 Apartments.
WGFD Large Carnivore Specialist Dan Thompson told Buckrail last week that securing attractants is crucial to preserving human and bear safety.
“There’s just a ton of bear activity everywhere,” Thompson said. “Regardless of species, if they become food conditioned, they can become dangerous.”
WGFD urges residents to secure bear attractants, including food, garbage, livestock feed, pet food and more. Bring pets inside at night. Consider electric fencing around vegetable gardens, compost piles, beehives, fruit trees and other attractants that need protection from bears. Residents in need of electric fencing materials or assistance setting up an electric fence can contact the WGFD Jackson Regional office.
Bear conflicts should be reported to Game and Fish as soon as possible by calling the Jackson Regional office at (307) 733-2321 or the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP (943-3857).
For more on bear safety, see WGFD’s Bear Wise Wyoming website.
