Idaho F&G: ‘Nuisance’ bears had been breaking into homes
By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
A sow black bear and two of her cubs were euthanized Nov. 1 after custodial workers reported the animals had broken into a home.
The Schweitzer Fire District, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho Fish and Game responded to the call after janitorial workers reported the bears had broken into a home, were eating food and destroying the interior of the house.
“The fire department was first on scene and found severe damage inside the house, along with the bears inside,” Sheriff Daryl Wheeler told the Reader.
“There’s been a sow and cubs that have been just terrorizing the village all summer,” Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Matt Haag told the Reader. “It’s been an ongoing problem.”
After Fish and Game initially trapped one of the cubs earlier this season, a Schweitzer resident — who was not authorized — released it from the cage, according to Haag.
“This was a solved problem that now got recreated by a reckless resident,” Schweitzer Fire District Chief Dave Ramsey told the Reader.
When the housekeeper reported the bear inside a home on Nov. 1, Schweitzer Fire responded with Ramsey carrying a shotgun loaded with rubber bullets and another employee with a .45-70 rifle for safety.
“The deputy responding called my phone directly and said, ‘Hey, there’s a lady that’s trapped in this house by these three bears that are being aggressive,” Ramsey said.
“I hit [the sow] with four less-than-lethal [rounds] and she came towards us,” Ramsey said.
“Then my backup took a shot,” which killed the sow, he added. Shortly after, under Fish and Game’s directive, the two cubs were euthanized.
Carson Watkins, Panhandle Region supervisor for Idaho Fish and Game, told the Reader that F&G “fully” supported the decision “given the circumstances and history of that bear.”
The decision to kill the bears rather than trap and relocate them was due to repeated incidents with homeowners living on the mountain, Watkins confirmed.
“Schweitzer has been dealing with a series of black bear conflicts for the better part of the fall now,” Watkins said. “Food was pretty scarce up there this year and there were a higher number of bears than usual marauding into homes, getting into garbage around the resort. …
“Based on the recent history of these animals, the potential risk to public safety and their habituation, that’s a standard call for us to euthanize those animals to avoid any future conflict and to ensure public safety,” he added.
A homeowner, who asked not to be identified, witnessed the responders euthanizing the bear while walking nearby.
“This bear was a problem bear, but I don’t know why they killed them and the cubs instead of relocating them,” the homeowner told the Reader.
Watkins said once bears become habituated to human food, they don’t forget those habits — especially cubs.
“With those bears having that history and learning that behavior from mom, there’s definitely the potential for conflict later on,” he said. “They know how to get the food, so if you move them somewhere else, they’re going to find a place to get human subsidies again.”
Also, Watkins said that while the cubs may survive without their mom’s assistance, it’s not likely.
“We have an abundance of black bears in the panhandle and removing those bears and resolving that conflict that way, that’s not jeopardizing black bear conservation at large,” Watkins said.
Because of its close proximity to bear habitats, Watkins urged residents on Schweitzer to practice better bear awareness.
“Secure all of your attractants,” Watkins said. “The most minimal attractants can result in a break-in like this. … It’s helpful to be mindful about where garbage is and to make sure when garbage is going to be picked up it’s in a secure place where bears can’t get into them.”
“When you eat or cook, assume a bear could be drawn to that,” he said.
The anonymous homeowner said they had noticed local construction crews camping on-site and leaving coolers and food trash nearby, which they believe contributed to attracting the bears.
“It was a really sad ending,” the homeowner said. “The more people we get up here, the more construction we get up here [and it] leads to more and more people being careless and not being aware we’re in bear country.”
Haag recommended Schweitzer homeowners install twist doorknobs instead of levers, avoid sliding glass doors if possible and to lock windows and doors with deadbolts.
While grizzlies have been observed walking the ridgelines at Schweitzer, they have so far kept out of residential areas, but Haag is worried that will change if bear awareness keeps being ignored.
“It’s just a matter of time before a grizzly gets in there, and that’s what makes us nervous,” he said.
