KETCHUM, Idaho — More bear traps are being placed in the Wood River Valley after a black bear charged a Ketchum woman on July 11.
The bear charged the woman after she attempted to scare it away. The bear then charged a window after a second attempt. Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) will now attempt to capture and euthanize the food conditioned bear.
IDFG began placing bear traps on July 7 after food conditioned black bears were spotted going through trash in recreational areas in the Wood River Valley. The choice to euthanize is a decision IDFG never takes lightly, but is one they have to make for public safety.
“Everyone's heard the term, a fed bear is a dead bear and unfortunately that’s often the case in these situations,” said Jake Powell, wildlife biologist for IDFG.
There are simple measures people can take such as keeping camp sites clean and locking up food and trash.
“This is more a human issue than a bear issue. The bears are doing what bears need to do to survive,” said Mike McDonald, Regional Wildlife Manager with IDFG.
For more information on the attempt to capture this bear, click here.
