After two years and 46 miles, a bear returned to Sheridan for food rewards

The Game and Fish Department Sheridan Regional Office reported wildlife managers euthanized an approximately six-year-old female black bear in Sheridan on the morning of Friday, May 26. Personnel had responded to multiple reports of the bear in the neighborhood near Emerson Park on the evening of May 25 and morning of May 26. 

During the capture of the bear, personnel could see the bear had an ear tag, indicating it had been caught and relocated previously. That led the Game and Fish personnel to make the decision to euthanize the bear. 

Talking to Sheridan Media, Game and Fish Public Information Specialist for the Sheridan Region Christina Schimdt said the bear had been captured in Sheridan and relocated 46 air miles away two years ago. 

According to Schmidt, this is testimony to the conditioning bears undergo if they are not captured and relocated as soon as they identify a human sourced food reward.   

Game and Fish asks the public to contact the office as soon as they see a bear outside of their natural habitat setting. Schmidt said bears will remember the rewards and weigh the risks. Although it took some time, the bear that was euthanized more than likely remembered the food rewards from over two years prior and returned to the source; Sheridan. 

When asked how long Sheridan and Johnson County residents will have to keep their property clean of possible food regards for bears, Schmidt said until December and that includes within city limits. 

Game and Fish personnel would also like residents to be aware the department has responded to multiple reports in recent days of a bear accessing attractants in the Woodland Park area. Those reports indicate a bear had killed multiple domestic chickens in a coop, ate chicken feed at a different location and accessed unsecured garbage. Based on the reports, it appeared the bear was moving north along Little Goose Creek. According to the department, it is possible, but unknown, if the euthanized bear is the same one reported from Woodland Park.

If residents spot a bear, contact the Game and Fish Sheridan Regional Office right away at 307-672-7418. Game and Fish asks that residents, please, do not wait until later. The more rewards the bear finds, the more likely the bear will become conditioned to not fear humans and remember the location. 

All of Sheridan and Johnson Counties encompass bear country, to learn more, click here.