Sublette Co. Pinedale, WY 90s.......bears?

[robtattoo]

I'll be back in the WY 90s in a couple of weeks. I'm familiar-ish with the units I'll be hunting, but when I've hunted there previously I've either stayed on the ranch, or a buddy in Pinedale has hosted me.
This year I'll be solo camping close to the Wyoming range, along North Cottonwood Creek. It'll be a big, wall tent type truck camp. I'll be there for 3 weeks & food/waste/trash handling could be problematic.

Do I need to practice 'bear aware' safe food handling practices?

Google is making me believe that there are some bears starting to show up in the area, but it seems like they're extremely rare at the moment & it may not even be a concern.

 

[Tod osier]

I do not think there is a food storage order, so that is always suggestive. Call big piney ranger station, they will give you the full story.

 

[wytx]

On the spouse's moose hunt just East of there we were told black bears may be an issue in camp but had no problems. We had a wall tent camp as well and cooked inside.
Email the biologist or GW.

 

[wyogoat]

I hunt that area a lot. Just be careful and “bear aware” as you said. I solo hunt it and have never lost sleep about bears. Just do everything right. It is an area I do carry a pistol in though just in case.

 

[robtattoo]

I do not think there is a food storage order, so that is always suggestive. Call big piney ranger station, they will give you the full story.

Thanks for the tip Tod.
I just spoke with Angie at the station. She basically confirmed what I thought. There are a few grizz around, not enough to really worry about an encounter, but enough that food preparation & storage safeguards should be taken.
There's no mandate in place regarding bear safe food storage, but I'm told that it is highly recommended right now, especially in the runup to winter.

 

[switchback270]

Was there last week. Same creek you mentioned. Never saw any sign of G bears although we were told of 2 recent confirmed sightings. One in sheep creek and another roughly 20 miles away.

 

[Crowmangler]

Definitely take the precautions... Otherwise we all could have a cool story to tell our friends: "Yeah I knew that dude that got mauled... he was on Rokslide"

 

[BullsDeep]

Was there last week. Same creek you mentioned. Never saw any sign of G bears although we were told of 2 recent confirmed sightings. One in sheep creek and another roughly 20 miles away.

Just spent 2 weeks in this area as well as surrounding areas. Did they happen to say where at roughly 20 miles away?

 

[Rifleman86]

I was in that area last year. I’m sure there are a few there, but I didn’t see any sign of any and didn’t lose much sleep about it.

I did still carry my 10mm though.

Great country, good luck!

 

[jgilber5]

Was in there for early season. Talked to the CO, said there was one or two around up high but no issues yet.

 

[switchback270]

Just spent 2 weeks in this area as well as surrounding areas. Did they happen to say where at roughly 20 miles away?

They didn’t mention exactly where the other one was.

 

[smoothie25]

Wyoming Hunter Accidentally Shoots Himself During Grizzly Attack

Lee Francis of Evanston, Wyoming, is currently recovering at the University of Utah Health Hospital after a run-in with a grizzly bear on Oct. 21 left him with a bullet hole in the leg. The 65-year-old was elk hunting in the Rock Creek area in the Gros Ventre Mountains with his son when the bruin...

www.themeateater.com

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[Jaquomo]

Some local friends told me they believe problem bears from the Jackson area are relocated along that part of the range. I never saw any, but other guys hunting near me saw a couple. Not enough to cause any concern.

 

[grossklw]

I've spent a few weeks in there in the last few years, I just carry bear spray and have a 44 at camp. I've never seen any grizz sign, have seen a couple black bears, we practice bear safety and generally never worry. Had a couple dudes ride by our camp a couple times telling us how they see grizz in there all the time, but I think it was more of a "get the hell out of our spot" type of thing.

 

[robtattoo]

That's always been my experience. I've seen zero bear sign so far but a ton of wolf tracks the last few years.

 

[JA03]

Had a black bear stumble upon our camp a couple weeks ago. Woofed at us for a while before heading out. No grizz sign

 

[Indian Summer]

No. No bears to worry about down there.

 

[ttjjpp]

Definitely take the precautions... Otherwise we all could have a cool story to tell our friends: "Yeah I knew that dude that got mauled... he was on Rokslide"

absolutely take precautions - it only takes 1