Fish and Game Agency issues warning of confirmed grizzly sighting in east-central Idaho | Idaho

SALMON – Idaho Fish and Game officials have confirmed a grizzly bear sighting in the North Fork Salmon River area near the Montana border. The bear was photographed on a trail camera on May 23 and positively identified as a grizzly. It is unknown if the bear is still in the area.

Grizzly bears are rarely seen in the area, with the last confirmed sighting occurring in 2022.

Homeowners, recreationists and hunters are asked to be aware of the danger of bears and to remove all possible food sources such as garbage, pet food or other food items.

Bear hunters in Units 21, 21A, 30 and adjacent units must carefully identify their targets and should not assume that every bear they see is a black bear.

Most of Idaho’s grizzly bear populations live in the northern Panhandle area and in and around Yellowstone National Park in eastern Idaho. However, grizzly bears can travel long distances and enter areas where you wouldn’t expect to encounter them. Grizzly bears are rare in the Salmon area. The last confirmed sighting in the Salmon region was in 2022 on a trail camera image.

Grizzly bears are federally protected in Idaho, so there is no hunting season for them. For more information on grizzly management, visit Fish and Game’s Conservation and Management website.

Outdoor recreation enthusiasts should remember that grizzly bears and black bears are part of the Idaho landscape. With a few simple preventative measures and common sense, you can greatly minimize conflicts with bears.

Tips for recreational athletes:

Keep the camp clean. Collect trash and store it along with all food in an enclosed vehicle or in plastic bags tied high between two trees, at least 100 yards from the sleeping area and at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet from any tree. Food can also be stored in an approved bear-proof food container. Never store food in your tent.

Don’t bury food scraps, pour out cooking grease, or leave anything that might be tasty on the ground or in a fire pit. Also, store grills or other smelly cooking equipment in your vehicle or in a sealed container. Bears have an incredibly keen sense of smell and are naturally curious.

If you see a bear, watch it from a distance and leave it alone.

If you are afraid of encountering a bear and want to protect yourself, bear spray is an effective deterrent.