Grizzlies in Wyoming Range
by Wyoming Game and Fish Department press release
September 14, 2010
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department would like to remind hunters of confirmed grizzly bear activity in the Wyoming Range in recent years.
"We have verified tracks and a number of reports of grizzly bears in the northern portion of the Wyoming Range in recent years," says Zach Turnbull, Bear Management Specialist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. "It is not unusual to see young bears disperse long distances from their natal home ranges and grizzly bear distribution continues to expand to the southern reaches of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including the Wyoming Range."
All hunters need to be "Bear Aware" when camping or hunting in bear country and are strongly encouraged to carry and know how to use bear spray as a defense. Big game hunters are also urged to remove harvested game animals from the field as quickly as possible and practice extra caution when returning to a kill site. Hunters should not try to haze grizzly bears from a carcass they have claimed. Game and Fish also reminds those recreating on Forest Service lands to follow food storage regulations and store all food and attractants unavailable to bears.
Black bear hunters are reminded to be sure of their target before shooting a bear and are encouraged to view the voluntary bear identification test on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s website to learn the differences between black bears and grizzly bears. Bear identification information can be accessed at http://gf.state.wy.us under the Education tab. Grizzly bears are managed under federal law and there are currently no open hunting seasons for grizzlies in Wyoming.
Hunters harvesting a black bear are required to report the harvest to the local game warden, biologist, or regional office of the Game and Fish within 72 hours. Black bear hunters with questions about hunting seasons or regulations should pick up a copy of the current bear hunting regulations at any license selling vendor or call the Game and Fish office nearest the black bear hunt area they intend to hunt. The Pinedale Game and Fish office toll free number is 1-800-452-9107. The Jackson Game and Fish office toll free number is 1-800-423-4113.
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