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Wyoming Bear rules extended.
The Associated Press.
JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service plans to extend an order requiring hunters and others to store their food properly to avoid bear encounters.
The order requires food to be stored in bear resistant containers or hung out of reach of bears in parts of the Shoshone National Forest and Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Starting next April, the order will cover the entire Shoshone forest and additional parts of the Bridger-Teton forest, forest supervisors said. The order will not be expanded until April to allow outfitters and others to plan for the change.
Conflicts are arising outside of the areas covered under the original order because grizzly bears are expanding their range and outdoor activity is increasingly popular, grizzly bear biologist Kim Barber said.
Also, the grizzly bear expansion may be forcing black bears into campgrounds, she said.
This year, state game wardens have killed 10 black and grizzly bears that became troublesome after being attracted to human food, she said.
“We plan to continue educating people about how to recreate and live safely in bear country,” Shoshone National Forest Supervisor Becky Aus said.
Under the order, food not stored in bear-proof canisters must be hung at least 10 feet off the ground and at least four feet from trees. Poles have been built in some areas for hunters to hang their game on.
Besides human food, dog food, horse feed and toothpaste are bear attractants, Barber said.
“Bears have a fantastic sense of smell,” she said. “So don’t take food or other attractants into your tent at night. You can hunt and camp safely if you pay attention to a few simple precautions.”
The Associated Press.
JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service plans to extend an order requiring hunters and others to store their food properly to avoid bear encounters.
The order requires food to be stored in bear resistant containers or hung out of reach of bears in parts of the Shoshone National Forest and Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Starting next April, the order will cover the entire Shoshone forest and additional parts of the Bridger-Teton forest, forest supervisors said. The order will not be expanded until April to allow outfitters and others to plan for the change.
Conflicts are arising outside of the areas covered under the original order because grizzly bears are expanding their range and outdoor activity is increasingly popular, grizzly bear biologist Kim Barber said.
Also, the grizzly bear expansion may be forcing black bears into campgrounds, she said.
This year, state game wardens have killed 10 black and grizzly bears that became troublesome after being attracted to human food, she said.
“We plan to continue educating people about how to recreate and live safely in bear country,” Shoshone National Forest Supervisor Becky Aus said.
Under the order, food not stored in bear-proof canisters must be hung at least 10 feet off the ground and at least four feet from trees. Poles have been built in some areas for hunters to hang their game on.
Besides human food, dog food, horse feed and toothpaste are bear attractants, Barber said.
“Bears have a fantastic sense of smell,” she said. “So don’t take food or other attractants into your tent at night. You can hunt and camp safely if you pay attention to a few simple precautions.”
