Fish and Game study black bears

JEROME - To learn more about black bears, Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists are setting up hundreds of bait sites across the state this summer in order to track the elusive animal. This is the second year for the ongoing study. Biologist are hoping to learn more about black bears, including: where they roam in the summer months, and develop an index to track changes in bear populations. "It's something we have been doing in some parts of the state for the past several years," said Bruce Palmer, Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Biologist. "Currently, the only information we have on bear populations or their status comes from the mandatory harvest checks from hunters," he said. "This study will give us base line information on bear occurrences and density for this region and the rest of the state. "Because of the secretive nature of bears it is very difficult to determine population densities," he continued. "Bears don't run out of the trees like deer or elk do when we are flying. We can then use this information along with mandatory harvest checks to better manage black bears in Idaho." In the Magic Valley Region, biologists will set 100 different baits in hunting management units 44, 45,48 and 49. The bait, consisting of fresh pork fat and anise oil, are hung about eight feet off the ground and wired to a soft-barked tree like an aspen. If a bear catches the scent of the bait it will climb the tree leaving scrape marks. Biologist will then check all the bait sites later in the summer to count the number of hits on the bait. After a number of years of gathering the data, biologist will be able to combine bear harvest and bait attraction information and use this data to better understand bear populations in Idaho.