The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped and relocated an adult female grizzly bear September 14, 2017.

The bear was captured for killing cattle on a U.S. Forest Service grazing allotment north of Pinedale, WY.  In cooperation with the Shoshone National Forest, the bear was relocated to the Mormon Creek drainage approximately five miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park within the North Fork of the Shoshone River drainage west of Cody.  The release site is located in currently occupied grizzly bear habitat.

Grizzly bear relocation is a conservation tool afforded bear management personnel to minimize conflicts between humans and grizzly bears and is critical to the recovery of the population. The decision to relocate and the selection of a relocation site is made taking into consideration the age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in. Consultation with the appropriate personnel and agencies occurs to minimize the chance of future conflicts and maximize the survival potential of the relocated grizzly bear. Bears are relocated in accordance with state and federal law and regulation. When selecting a relocation site, the Department makes every consideration to minimize potential conflicts.

Bears can create conflicts after they have obtained food rewards. Game and Fish continues to stress the importance of keeping all attractants (food items, garbage, horse feed, bird seed, and others) unavailable to bears. Reducing attractants available to bears reduces human-bear conflicts.  For more information on grizzly bear management and reducing the potential for conflicts please visit the Bear Wise Wyoming page: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Wildlife-in-Wyoming/More-Wildlife/Large-Carnivore/Grizzly-Bear-Management/Bear-Wise-Wyoming