A Cody wildlife photographer made a heartbreaking discovery early Tuesday: A small grizzly cub-of-the-year that was struck and killed by a vehicle on the highway to Yellowstone National Park, west of Cody.
Tim O’Leary told Cowboy State Daily he called a friend, a large carnivore specialist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and together they discovered two more dead cubs.
The cubs were probably triplets and were hit just past the Shoshone National Forest boundary on US Highway 14/16/20, the North Fork Highway.
O’Leary said he, the Game and Fish agent, and the agent’s dogs searched the area for quite some time but couldn’t find any sign of the cubs’ mother.
O’Leary said he discovered the carcass of the first cub, which was “about the size of a dog” alongside the highway just before dawn. So, the cub and its siblings were probably struck either Monday night or in the wee hours on Tuesday, he said.
The bears were stuck along a curve, O’Leary said. He surmised a driver was probably coming around the curve too fast and didn’t see the bears until it was too late.
“I know the main contributing factors were being in the darkness along a big, sweeping curve and probably driving too fast,” he said.
Game And Fish Confirms
Dan Thompson, Game and Fish statewide large carnivore specialist, confirmed the report of the cubs being struck and killed.
"Yes, unfortunately we had a situation recently with some grizzly bear cubs-of-the-year hit by a vehicle on the North Fork Highway,” he wrote in an email to Cowboy State Daily.
He added that there was “no sign of the female or indication that she was hit."
Speeding takes a toll on wildlife, Thompson said.
"This is a good reminder for people that all wildlife are on the move this time of year and many of our ungulates, elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, are or will be rutting so there is an increased potential for these types of roadway collisions,” he said. “Much of the otherwise roadside or human wariness is abandoned for the sake of procreation. We remind people to heed speed limits and be extra vigilant for the safety of wildlife and themselves this time of year and later into the fall during migrations.”
‘I’ll Watch Your Back’
O’Leary frequently drives the North Fork Highway seeking content for his Yellowstone Wildlife Photography platform.
Early Tuesday, he was headed west from Cody toward Yellowstone in hopes of getting some photos of elk activity during the rut, or mating season.
Upon discovering the first cub’s carcass, he called his friend with Game and Fish, who agreed to come to the scene.
“He said, 'Just go on your way; I’ll find it (the carcass),' O'Leary said.
But after driving just a short distance, O’Leary considered there could be an “injured sow” (female grizzly) in the area and turned around.
He called his friend again and told him, “I’ll wait for you there, and watch your back.”
No Sign of Mama Bear
After his friend arrived, they began a wider search.
The second cub’s carcass was found on the other side of the road.
“He decided to turn his dogs loose, and they alerted us to a third cub under a bush near the roadside,” he said.
The men and dogs couldn’t find any solid evidence of the mother bear’s presence or anything to indicate her condition.
"We just couldn’t find the sow. Maybe she didn’t get hit. Or maybe she did get hit and is still out there, wounded,” O'Leary said.
The accident happened near the Wapiti area, which includes ranches, residences, an elementary school, and a store.
O’Leary said the thought of an injured grizzly in that area makes him nervous.
White Vehicle
He said that going by the debris at the scene the cubs were probably struck by a white vehicle. He couldn’t venture a guess about the make, model, or vintage.
The scene suggested a driver hit the cubs and left.
“I totally understand somebody hitting bears and not wanting to get out of their vehicle. That’s a dangerous situation for sure. But at least call the authorities and let them know, so they can get people up there,” he said.
O’Leary added that speeding is a chronic problem along the North Fork Highway, which is in a busy corridor for bears and other wildlife.
“When I’m coming back home from Yellowstone in the Dark, I can’t go more than a half-mile without seeing deer along the roadside,” he said.
Even while he and his friend were searching for the mother bear, he said drivers weren’t being cautious.
“Cars weren’t slowing down for us. They were just blowing by, probably going 65 miles per hour, even though the speed limit is 50 through there,” he said.
“I’d like to notify people that they need to slow down and watch for wildlife along that highway,” he added.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
