Grizzly Bear Trapping Begins In Centennial Mountains

Idaho Fish and Game is urging the public to heed bright orange signs warning of grizzly bear trapping operations in the in the Upper Snake Region. Trapping efforts about to get under way will focus on the Idaho portion of the Centennial Mountains starting near Henrys Lake and running all the way to Interstate 15 near Spencer. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists, who make up Idaho's contribution to the larger Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team efforts, will begin to work in the Centennial Mountain Range in Idaho after the Fourth of July holiday. Trapping is part of the ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the distribution of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Operations can include a variety of activities, but all major access points to areas where work is being done will be marked with bright orange warning signs. It is critical that all members of the public heed these signs and stay out of the area. Monitoring grizzly bear distribution and other activities is vital to ongoing recovery of grizzlies in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. To attract bears, biologists use natural food sources, such as fresh road-killed deer and elk. Potential trapping sites are baited, and if indications are that grizzly bears are in the area, snares or culvert traps will be used to capture the bears. Once trapped, the bears are sedated and studied in accordance with protocols developed by the Grizzly Bear Study Team. For more information regarding grizzly bear trapping efforts or Idaho's role in grizzly bear management, call 208-525-7290.