Black bears break into Jackson Hole shed, one euthanized, one captured and released

One of two black bears that broke into a shed in Jackson Hole was euthanized. The other was captured and released farther away from town
The bears may have been looking for elk scraps in the shed.
Right now is bear season, bears are looking for food as it gets colder and they prepare for hibernation.
Large carnivore expert Dan Thompson with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says allowing bears to access food reinforces bad behavior. One interaction with food and they learn to go to human property to find more.
“I would envision that they had gotten food rewards somewhere else that we just didn't know about,” Thompson said. “Usually bears don't start out doing something like that.”
Whether you're hiking, hunting or live in an area with high bear activity, you need to be bear aware. One way to avoid bears is to make noise when out in the wild.
Bear activity has been slow this fall, but Eastern Idaho Fish and Game Department representative James Brower says it's always important to keep food away from the bears.
"Make sure that your garbage is stored in a bear-resistant container, or that it's in a bear-resistant building, like a hard four-sided, four-walled building with a roof where you can just bring it out on the morning of garbage collection and then take it back immediately after that garbage collection happens, at least as close as you can,” Brower said.
Brower also suggests putting away anything with a strong smell, like bird feeders or electric grills.
Bears will begin to go into hibernation starting mid-November and early December, but they only do that once they are not finding food anymore.
Wyoming Game and Fish tagged and relocated one of the two bears that broke into the shed in Jackson Hole. They euthanized the other bear.
In all cases, if you experience an interaction with a bear, report it!
“If it's something where a bear shows up and we know about it, then maybe we can rectify that behavior before it gets to this level," Thompson said.
Visit idfg.idaho.gov for more information from the Idaho Fish and Game Department, or wgfd.wyo.gov for more information from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.