Elk NetworkIdaho Begins Annual Grizzly Bear Research Trapping

General | June 5, 2020

Below is a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Biologists from Idaho Fish and Game will begin annual research trapping efforts for grizzly bears in the Upper Snake Region on May 31, 2020. To avoid conflicts with hunters, current operations will be confined to areas where hunting is prohibited. Larger scale operations will begin July 1st in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest within the caldera in Island Park, west of Highway 20 along the Centennial Mountain Range, and in the Cave Falls and Teton areas near the Wyoming border.

Trapping will conclude near the end of August. Trap sites and travel ways leading to the site will be marked with bright warning and closure signs. It is important that the public respect these signs and not enter posted areas.

Captured bears are sedated and handled in accordance with strict protocols developed by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. Bears that meet our criteria are fitted with a radio collar. By observing radio-collared females, we are able to document age of first reproduction, average litter size, cub and yearling survival, and how often females produces a litter. Data collected from both sexes allow us to estimate survival among different sex and age classes, causes of mortality, and gain a better understanding of habitat use and food habits.

For more information regarding grizzly bear trapping efforts or Fish and Game’s role in grizzly bear management, call 208-525-7290.

(Photo source: Jeremy Nicholson/Idaho Department of Fish and Game)