The Idaho Fish and Game officials recently received a video shot in spring of 2020 by a sportsman who believed the bear was a young grizzly near the Continental Divide southeast of Salmon. Upon viewing, Fish and Game officials verified that video footage was a sub-adult male grizzly bear and confirmed its location. Sub-adult males are known to roam great distances, and it is very unlikely the bear is still present in the area. 

Although Idaho’s known grizzly bear populations are in the northern Panhandle and the Greater Yellowstone Area in eastern Idaho, it’s possible that grizzly bears could wander into the Salmon Region on a rare occasion where people aren’t expecting them. 

Outdoor recreationists are reminded that bears are part of Idaho’s landscape. Taking some simple, preventive measures and using common sense will go a long way towards minimizing bear conflicts.  

Tips for around camp include

• Keep a clean camp. Pick up garbage and store it along with all food in a closed vehicle or in plastic bags tied high between two trees, at least 100 yards from the sleeping area and at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 four feet out from either tree. Food can also be stored in an approved bear-proof food container. Never keep food in your tent.
• Do not bury food scraps, pour out cooking grease, or leave anything that might be tasty on the ground or in a fire pit. Also, store barbecue grills or other smelly cooking gear inside your vehicle or within a sealed container. Bears have a tremendous sense of smell and they are nosy by nature.
• If you see a bear, watch it from a distance and leave it alone.

For more information on Idaho’s bears, call your nearest regional Fish and Game office or visit the department’s bear identification webpage.