Black Bear Relocated to Bighorn Mountains Following Close Encounters Near Sheridan

A young female black bear has been safely relocated to the Bighorn Mountains after a series of close encounters with residents north of Sheridan, Wyoming, over the Fourth of July weekend, NBC Montata reports.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department captured the sub-adult bear on July 5, following reports that it had entered a residential backyard containing a flock of chickens and had also wandered into a neighboring yard. Wildlife officials believe it is the same bear that was spotted the previous day along the North Sheridan Pathway near Canfield Street.

According to Sheridan-area Wildlife Biologist Eric Maichak, the bear was eligible for relocation because there was no evidence it had become habituated to human-provided food sources.

“Because the bear was reported quickly by the homeowners and other members of the public, and because there was no known history of the bear repeatedly receiving human-provided attractants, it was considered a candidate for relocation,” Maichak stated in a press release.

The bear was released on July 6 in a remote location within the Bighorn Mountains, away from human development.

Wildlife officials stress that timely public reporting is essential for successful conflict management. Bears that are allowed to repeatedly access food or garbage near homes are less likely to be candidates for relocation and may face more severe outcomes.