Teton County Idaho authorities are warning residents of Driggs to be alert after receiving reports of a bear seen in the area.
The warning comes after a man was attacked by a sow black bear on Monday near Henderson Canyon in Victor.
The Teton County Sheriff’s office told residents Monday evening to bring their pets inside and to keep their distance if they spotted the bruin.
Lots of Bears in the Region
Numerous bear sightings in Teton Valley have prompted the Idaho Game and Fish Department to remind residents and visitors to be ‘Bear Aware’ in the region.
Throughout the region, reports of bear encounters seem to be on the upswing with numerous reports of grizzly bear sightings in areas where they have not been seen for a century.
Bear Encounters Can Be Deadly
A woman was killed last week by a grizzly bear attack just outside of West Yellowstone, Montana. She was on the trail by herself when the attack occurred.
Bear managers say that one of the precautions to take in bear country is to never hike alone.
Hiking in Bear Country
Be aware and alert on the trail, looking out for signs of bears like tracks, scat, and claw marks.
Know the bear habitat in the area you’re hiking and avoid closed bear management zones.
Hike in a group of three or more to reduce the chance of surprising a bear.
Make noise while hiking to alert bears of your presence.
Never surprise a bear – if you see one, calmly back away and keep an eye on it.
Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, and night when bears are most active.
Be careful around adult mother bears with cubs and never approach or get between them.
Monday’s incident in Victor forced authorities to kill the sow and her cub in the interest of public safety and served as a reminder about the dangers of living in an area where both black and grizzly bears live.
Attractants for bears include pet food, compost, and barbecue grills and proper storage of those items is important.
Bear Conflict Prevention Tips
- Keep camps clean and store food, garbage, and scented items in vehicles or bear-resistant containers.
- Hang food in a tree if no vehicle storage is available, away from the campsite.
- Avoid cooking in or near tents and don’t leave food scraps or greasy items lying around.
- Use bear-resistant food canisters when camping.
- Use bear-resistant containers for garbage at home and remove bird feeders during summer.
- Clean up fallen fruit and store pet food indoors.
- Store horse and livestock grains in closed barns.
- Keep barbeque grills stored in closed buildings.
- Make lots of noise if a bear visits your campsite to scare it away safely.
- Be mindful of bear behavior and take steps to prevent unwanted encounters.
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