Avoid Bear Problems

Utah Fishing & Outdoors got an email from John Campbell of the Outdoor Source, a guide service on Boulder Mountain, a couple of days ago. John said that bears were becoming a nuisance in the Fish Creek area on Boulder Mountain and he wanted me to remind all of you that Utah is bear country.

Whether we are camping on Boulder Mountain, at Strawberry Reservoir, the Uintas, or just about any other high country location it is important to keep a clean camp and to keep all food secured so bears can't get into it.

The DWR, in an article entitled, "Don't Feed The Bears," says, "Bears are smart, like foods similar to those preferred by humans and have an extremely good sense of smell. It doesn't take long for someone to train a bear to look to humans for food. Just leaving garbage near a camp or cabin will train a bear to look for camps as a food source."

John said that once a bear gets a taste for human food, it just can't stop eating it and the bear will become a real problem. Sometimes these problem bears can be trapped and moved to a new area, but usually they end up having to be killed.

The DWR report says the story usually goes like this: "The bear is cute and well-mannered at first, so the campers feed it candy bars and donuts. Soon, the bear loses its fear of humans, which makes the campers nervous. The bear now stays for longer periods of time and approaches closer until finally, when the campers leave their trailer, tent or car unattended, the bear decides to take a look inside. Now the bear is a rampaging problem and a conservation officer is called in to kill it."

To avoid bear problems:

• Keep a clean camp
• Keep yourself clean and odor free. Don't use perfumes, wash up after cooking (no cooking odors).
• Separate the cooking area from the sleeping area
• Clean up spills, grease, fish guts, etc. Don't just throw these things out into the bushes.
• Keep food and garbage shut inside your car, with the windows up, in bear-proof containers of if backpacking, suspend food and garbage out of reach, high in a tree.
• Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear.

While hiking in bear country, make noise, sing or wear a bell. Never approach a bear cub, its mother will be nearby and will not be happy to see you.

In recent years bears have been a problem at several sites on Boulder Mountain, around Strawberry and Currant Creek reservoirs, and at several campgrounds on Highway 150, on the Kamas side.