A grizzly bear mother and her cubs have been frequenting the area north of Cody, being spotted on the west side of Heart Mountain on Saturday.
Dan Thompson, Game and Fish statewide supervisor of the large carnivore management section, said the department did make an attempt to capture the family group for a time to learn about their movements and for safety reasons when they were near Wyo. Highway 120.
“They did not necessarily evade capture, but, rather did not venture into the area we had a trap set,” Thompson said.
Game and Fish personnel set a trap for the bear family, but the animals didn't go into that area.
“As for bear safety, we always continually preach awareness of one's surroundings and using the best weapon in your arsenal to combat any potential conflicts with wildlife — your brain,” he added.
It's important for people to be physically and mentally prepared to take advantage of Wyoming’s wild lands, the Game and Fish says. Officials advise that people should carry and know how to use bear spray and know how to identify tracks and other wildlife signs.
“Report bear activities to the Wyoming Game and Fish and enjoy Wyoming's outdoors and wildlife,” Thompson said.