Staying safe in predator country
Large predator workshops offered in March
by Wyoming Game and Fish Department
March 4, 2009
With reports of bears already venturing out of their winter dens, we’re reminded that it’s a good time to think about how to avoid conflicts with large predators. Wildlife officials are encouraging people to attend one of the upcoming public workshops titled "Staying Safe in Bear, Lion and Wolf Country". These workshops are free to the public and will be offered in both Jackson and Pinedale this spring. Anyone who spends time in bear and lion country is encouraged to attend.
"We’ve found there are a lot of people out there who aren’t really sure how they would react if confronted by a bear or mountain lion," says Mark Gocke, Public Information Specialist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. "These workshops provide people with good, practical information on how to prevent conflicts and what to do in an encounter with one of these large predators."
The workshops will feature presentations by both Wyoming Game and Fish and Forest Service officials on a number of topics including: bear and lion food habits and where one would expect to encounter them, food storage regulations, understanding bear and lion behavior and what to do in an encounter and the proper use of bear pepper spray.
The workshops will also touch on the topic of wolves. "Wolves very rarely attack people and we don’t expect that to change," says Gocke "But more people are encountering wolves and people have questions about their safety around wolves, so we added some information on the topic."
The three-hour evening workshops will be held in these area locations:
March 18: 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., at the Pinedale Game and Fish office
March 19: 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., at the Snow King Resort in Jackson, WY
For more information people may contact the Jackson Game and Fish office at (307) 733-2321 or 1-800-423-4113 (in-state) or the Pinedale Game and Fish office at (307) 367-4353 or 1-800-452-9107 (in-state) during regular business hours.
WG&F supports the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anyone needing auxiliary aids to attend this meeting should call a number listed above. Every effort will be made for reasonable accommodations.
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