Managing Bear Conflict
The Jackson Large Carnivore section is happy to report relatively few bear conflicts so far this summer, but biologists have been busy trying to prevent conflicts by again erecting electric fencing at the Teton County landfill as well as a beehive operation on private land. Biologists also have been busy managing bear-human interactions involving roadside grizzly bears that have been frequenting highway 26 over Togwotee Pass between Moran Junction and Dubois.
Moose Roadblock
Warden Graham responded to a report of a cow moose and it’s newborn calf that were holding up traffic on the Grey’s River road about six miles from Alpine. The cow had just given birth to the calf on the road and was aggressively protecting it, preventing vehicles from driving by. Every time a vehicle would get within 50 yards the cow would pin her ears back and charge the vehicle. Warden Graham spoke with drivers that continued to arrive on site, wanting to allow the calf enough time to get its legs under it, so it could follow its mother away from the road. Bystanders waited patiently for close to an hour before the calf finally followed its mother down the steep embankment and off the road. Warden Graham directed traffic slowly by and observed the cow and calf doing fine in a willow patch.
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