Fish and Game staff have recently received multiple reports of a sow black bear with three yearlings getting into unsecured garbages in and around Driggs. For the safety of both the community and the bears, Fish and Game is asking residents to properly store their garbage and other attractants by making them inaccessible.
Many of these incidents occurred within Teton County’s Bear Conflict Zones, where the use of certified bear-resistant garbage containers/dumpsters that have passed the Bear-Resistant Products Testing Program is required.
Fish and Game is working closely with community organizations to increase the outreach and education efforts in Teton Valley. Teton Valley Bear Wise, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Teton County Sherriff’s Office and RAD Curbside have all been involved to help keep humans and bears safe.
Conflicts occur when bears score an easy meal in town
Rural areas like Teton Valley are located on the urban-wildland interface and sit right in the middle of grizzly and black bear habitat. Bears will often move through town looking for good smells and food. Unfortunately, they often find human food sources – such as garbage, pet food or bird feeders – all of which are high in calories and readily available. That’s when the problems start.
Bears are extremely intelligent and can learn very quickly to associate people with food. The presence of unsecured human food sources like residential garbage, bird feeders, dog food, chicken coops, or even fruit trees cause human/bear conflicts that rarely end well for the bears, and often means a messy, and likely unsafe, situation for a property owner.
“It is the responsibility of all of us to do our part and keep both people and bears safe,” says Curtis Hendricks, Regional Wildlife Manager. "As soon as a bear finds an easy meal like garbage, they will continue to seek out food rewards that bring them into close proximity of humans.”