Grizzly Bear Found Dead In Ashton Reservoir

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers are looking for information about a yearling male grizzly bear that was found dead under suspicious circumstances around Thanksgiving in Ashton Reservoir. The young male and his sister were trapped and moved because they were feeding in an orchard near Gardiner, Montana. The bears had already defied the odds because they had survived their first winter as orphans, after their mother was killed when they were cubs. They were initially released in the Yellowstone Lake area in late September. Despite their close proximity to people, the bears never threatened anyone or got into garbage. The cubs then left the Yellowstone Lake area; this fall they worked their way into Idaho where their locations became difficult to track. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking information about the activities of these siblings and how the young male ended up in the Ashton Reservoir. Please call the local Fish and Game office at 208-525-7290 regarding this situation. Anyone observing suspicious activity or with information regarding wildlife crimes is encouraged to contact the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for cash reward if the information leads to a citation or a warrant. As an additional incentive, the Humane Society of the United States also has offered a $2,500 reward to anyone who receives recognition from the CAP program as being responsible for helping to solve this wildlife mystery. People can defend themselves from threat of death or serious physical injury from wild animals, but they need to call the authorities as soon as possible.