Bears Are Out and About in the Upper Snake Region

Reports of grizzly bears exiting their winter dens have been coming from the high country for a number of weeks and as these bears venture forth in search of food the likelihood of them being observed in the Upper Snake Region is increasing. Both grizzly and black bears have the ability to exist in relatively close proximity to people, if humans are smart enough to take some simple precautions. The intermountain West has always been home to bears. Even in those times and places where humans worked to eliminate grizzly bears, black bears were generally allowed to exist. Today, grizzly bears with the help of man have made incredible strides towards recovery. This means that as both species of bears go about their routines to survive, an ever expanding human presence means that the opportunity for an encounter with a bear is possible. This closeness to wildness is why many people choose to live, work, and visit in the region. The price for this opportunity to experience nature firsthand means that humans need to be as educated about how bears live. Knowing what bears need to survive and what humans do that can cause conflicts is important to reducing the chance for problems. Bears generally avoid humans because they have learned contact usually has negative results. Many people unfortunately have never had the chance to learn about bears or intentionally make choices that could put themselves or bears at risk. Making decisions to decrease the chance of conflicts is not difficult, but it does require commitment. For those living in bear country it means learning what attracts bears and making the needed changes to keep bears from getting into trouble. People who are recreating or working in bear country should learn about identifying bear sign and what to do if they encounter a bear. Making bears aware of your presence and carrying bear spray should become reflex actions for those spending time out in bear country. Failure to respect bears or any animal can have negative outcomes for all parties involved. Like all animals, grizzly bears should be respected, but need not be feared. Part of understanding about how to react to bears is based on being able to tell the difference between the two species found in the region. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game has a section of its website devoted to learning how to tell the difference and can be accessed by anyone at: http://tinyurl.com/bearID. For more information about being Bear Smart in bear country visit:www.igbconline.org