Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Wyoming Game and Fish officials didn't capture a grizzly bear on a public trail in Cody over the weekend. The bear was hazed, or scared off using non-lethal methods to drive it out of the area.
CODY — A grizzly bear that had been encroaching on a nature trail within Cody city limits over the weekend was driven off by wildlife officials, another in a string of recent human-bear interactions in the region.
The Paul Stock Nature Trail is a 2-mile loop that runs along the Shoshone River on the north side of Cody near several homes and residential areas. It’s maintained by the city of Cody and includes benches, public restrooms, and a children’s play area.
Local resident Mary Caucutt told Cowboy State Daily that she intended to walk her dog on the Paul Stock Trail on Saturday morning when she was stopped by an officer from the Cody Police Department, who was guarding the trailhead.
“I had a conversation with the police, then watched the Wyoming Game and Fish Department come with their bear-catching truck,” she said.
CPD and Game and Fish Department didn't respond to Cowboy State Daily requests for more information by the time this story was originally posted Sunday. On Monday morning, a Game and Fish spokesperson told Cowboy State Daily that non-lethal methods were used to haze the bear, or drive it away.
Grizzlies are common in the region surrounding Cody, and the rugged terrain of Heart Mountain 20 miles from town is a popular place for bears to roam.
Finding a grizzly near Cody, much less within the city limits, is highly unusual, but these encounters are becoming more frequent.
In September, a 3-year-old male grizzly was spotted in a pasture near U.S.Highway 14 between Cody and Powell. Wyoming Game and Fish captured and euthanized the bear, as it had become too habituated to people.
In August, noted Wyoming wildlife photographer Dave Bell captured photos of three grizzly bears feasting on a carcass along the Chief Joseph Highway north of Cody.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
