Hughes: Are there BIG bears in Utah?

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SALT LAKE CITY — There should be little doubt in anyone’s mind whether there are bears in Utah these days!

Our headlines have been ripe with stories of bear encounters, with three bears having to be euthanized this summer alone. 

 

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Big Game Program Coordinator Dax Mangus says it’s really a perfect storm of increased bear and human populations combined with drought conditions that have led to more bear sightings. 

As more and more of us look to escape the heat and recreate in the outdoors and more and more of our furry friends go in search of a food source in dry conditions it’s inevitable that the two worlds meet.

Just how big can bears in Utah be?

The answer to the question of just how big bears get in Utah is kind of a moving target. While many of the bear/human encounters are with younger, less experienced but curious bears, mom and dad are out there somewhere.

A Facebook post by my friend Dave Butts was an eye-opener for me!

Dave is a world-class taxidermist in Willard. He often gets invitations from either clients or friends to tag along on various hunts all over the world.

On this occasion, the invite came from a friend who owns and trains hound dogs utilizing a pursuit permit that allows the holder to use the dogs to pursue bears and mountain lions without harvesting one.

Dave, however, was interested in having the first-time hunt experience on a piece of land known as a harvest objective unit. 

As the name implies, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has a targeted objective to maintain populations of particular species with over-the-counter permits available until the objective is met.

The hunt

Day one of their efforts took them along with six dogs outfitted with tracking collars into the Monte Cristo area.

It was a fruitful day in that the dogs tracked and treed a small chocolate-colored bear. But the chase ended up on private property and outside the hunt objective unit, so they called the dogs off and the bear went on his way.

A few mishaps also hampered success, including an ATV flat tire 10 miles from the truck and one lost dog that was tracked and found safe the following day.

Day two started early at 7:30 a.m. The dogs almost immediately picked up a scent and were in hot pursuit in the Huntsville area.

Within 20 minutes, the dogs had treed a large black bear within the hunt unit. 

Dave’s first impression was the same as mine after seeing the picture posted online.

“I had no idea there were bears this big in Utah!” 

Most people probably don’t even know there are bears in and around Huntsville. 

Dave joked that he would’ve “probably thought twice about camping in this area” had he known there were bears that big in the vicinity.

Be bear-aware

I don’t tell you this story to discourage anyone from getting out and enjoying our beautiful Utah outdoors! 

The fact is, you have probably shared a peaceful, relaxing weekend in the company of bears and didn’t even know it.

But it’s important to “Know Before You Go” and be bear-aware when recreating in Utah. 

The Utah DWR’s website offers different ways to avoid conflicts with bears. 

One thing is for sure, you will always remember your first bear sighting. Especially one the size of Dave Butts’ Huntsville adventure!

Tim Hughes is the co-host of Utah’s Morning News and the host of the KSL Outdoors Show on KSL NewsRadio. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram. 

Follow @voicebyhughes