Game and Fish shares bear awareness tips for hunting season

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - As hunting season progresses, Wyoming Game and Fish are reminding hunters to be grizzly bear aware.

Anywhere in northwest Wyoming, there is a possibility of running into grizzly bears. Game and fish want hunters to take precautions before, during, and after their hunts.

Before going out, hunters should look into what animal activity is in the area they will be in. Through their bear-aware page, anyone can learn more about identifying bears and find more safety tips.

“You’re trying not to surprise a bear, to end up with a surprise encounter,” said Game and Fish Large Carnivore Supervisor Dan Thompson.

Having a plan in place and sharing the details with others is an easy way to stay safe while out hunting. If people know when to expect you back, and know the area you will be in, if any accident, bear-related or not happens, it will be easier for help to find you.

During a hunt, be prepared for bear encounters. The department encourages people to have a partner come along to help keep an eye out. They also say people should bring bear spray with them for safety.

When it comes to making a plan, Thompson encourages hunters to determine how late into the day they are comfortable harvesting an animal. Bears tend to be most active from the evening into the morning.

After the hunt, bring extra people to help speed up the dressing process or to keep guard in case bears seek out the gut pile.

“Bears this time of year are putting on as much weight as they can, so it’s called hyperphagia. They’re seeking out food sources, and a really important food source is gut piles so the things that we leave behind a lot of times as hunters have a lot of protein and so bears actively seek those out as a food source this time of year,” said Thompson.

The department encourages people to reach out to local game and fish offices for more information on bear activity in different regions.