|
|
|
Fish and Game euthanizes bear in McCall area
believed to have bitten firefighter |
|
September 4, 2015 |
Idaho Fish and Game personnel trapped and
euthanized a male black bear in the McCall area
Wednesday, September 2 that is believed to have
bitten a sleeping firefighter on Tuesday night.
The firefighter was taken to the hospital,
treated for minor wounds and released, then he
returned to work, according to Forest Service
officials.
The bear was trapped within a half mile of the
fire camp and matched the description of the one
involved in the biting. Fish and Game will
attempt a DNA test to see if it can confirm it
was the same bear by taking saliva from the bear
and matching it to saliva on the firefighter’s
small tent, commonly known as a bivvy sack, that
he was sleeping in when the bite occurred.
However, it’s uncertain whether there will be
enough DNA on the bivvy sack to get a match.
Idaho Fish and Game had previous reports of a
bear in the area raiding garages and causing
property damage. Fish and Game personnel had set
a trap prior to the bear biting the firefighter,
but hadn’t been able to catch it.
Bear complaints are common in late summer and
fall as the animals try to fatten up for winter.
People can reduce bear conflicts by removing
attractants, such as garbage, pet foods and bird
feeders.
After a bear has been reported as a nuisance,
Fish and Game personnel first try to remove the
attractant. If a bear repeatedly causes problems
and must be trapped, or it shows any signs of
aggression toward humans, it will be euthanized.
“We have responded to several calls of bears in
town in the McCall area, and most, if not all,
can be attributed to the availability of food,”
Fish and Game’s Southwest Region supervisor
Scott Reinecker said.
People are encouraged to keep the garbage and
pet food secure inside garages and sheds, and to
stop feeding birds if there are bears in their
area. Campers and other outdoor recreationists
should also keep coolers and other food storage
containers safely away from bears, preferably
inside a vehicle.
Bears are common throughout the state, and Fish
and Game wants to keep them in the wild and
feeding naturally.
Homeowners, campers and hunters can help keep
bears wild and avoid property damage by taking
these precautions:
• Keep pet food secured as you do your own, and
not in a bowl outdoors. Bears like pet food as
much as your dog or cat.
• Avoid filling bird feeders until wintertime.
• Keep garbage in a secure location and place it
at the curb only on the morning of pick up.
• When selecting a campsite, look for recent
signs of bear activity. If you see them, look
for an alternative campsite.
• Keep your camp clean; cook and prepare food
well away from your sleeping area.
• Do not store food in your tent.
• Hang your food away from your sleeping area in
a bag at least 10 feet off the ground and at
least four feet from the nearest trunk. Or use
commercially available bear-resistant
containers, and locate them away from your
sleeping area.
• Do not store personal hygiene products, such
as toothpaste or deodorant, in your tent; secure
these items with your food.
• Do not bury or throw garbage into the nearby
woods. Burn all combustible garbage thoroughly
and secure the remainder with your food.
• Hang harvested animals at least 10 feet off of
the ground and at least four feet from the
nearest tree trunk. A meat pole slung between
two trees is a good option.
|
|
|
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
