“Big Joe” Takes Up Residency in Meeteetse

A giant bear that was killed near Meeteetse will be remembered for years to come.

The biggest grizzly most experts had ever seen in the Greater Yellowstone region has found a permanent home at the Meeteetse Museums. Nicknamed “Big Joe,” the bear weighed well over 600 pounds – and that was straight out of hibernation.

Big Joe was euthanized by Game and Fish in April of last year, after repeated conflicts with livestock. Game and Fish Biologist Dusty Lasseter called him a “very special bear,” and to honor the animal, the agency chose to donate his body to the Meeteetse Museums.

The display, which is now open to the public, also includes DNA testing results, the history of the bear’s life, and other educational facts about grizzlies.