Wyoming Game and Fish Capture and Relocate Two Grizzlies in Two Days
Written by Andrew-Rossi on August 2, 2022
Within two days, Wyoming Game and Fish captures and relocates two grizzlies to drainages deep in Shoshone and Birdger-Teton National Forests.
After consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department relocated a sub-adult male grizzly bear on July 31 and an adult male grizzly bear on Aug. 1.
Both grizzly bears were captured and relocated for livestock depredations on private and public land, respectively.
The first bear was captured on July 31 and relocated to the Bailey Creek drainage in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Bailey Creek is approximately 11 miles from the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
The second bear was captured on Aug. 1 and relocated to the Five Mile drainage in Shoshone National Forest, approximately five miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It’s the second grizzly relocated to the Five Mile drainage this summer.
Courtesy Wyoming Game and Fish
These are the fourth and fifth grizzlies captured and relocated within Wyoming in 2022.
Wyoming Game and Fish has dealt with three other grizzlies this summer. Most of these bears were relocated due to cattle depredation.
- An adult male was captured near Bondurant and relocated to the Sunlight Creek drainage in early May.
- A sub-adult male was captured and relocated to the Five Mile drainage in mid-July.
- A sub-adult male grizzly was captured and relocated to the Fox Creek drainage in mid-July.
Bears are relocated according to state and federal law and regulation, and Game and Fish must notify the media whenever a grizzly bear is relocated.
Game and Fish continues to stress the importance of the public’s responsibility in bear management. To this, people must ensure attractants such as food, garbage, horse feed, and bird seed are unavailable to bears. Reducing attractants available to bears reduce human-bear conflicts and, in some cases, relocations.
For more information on grizzly bear management and reducing the potential for conflicts, please visit the Bear Wise Wyoming webpage.
