2nd bear shot near Scout camp


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HIGH UINTAH — The Department of Wildlife Resources killed a bear they believed was becoming too aggressive with campers. DWR officers said the bear was spotted entering campsites on multiple occasions going through garbage and looking for food.

The officers responded to complaints of the bear on Tuesday near the Hinckley Scout camp off of Mirror Lake Highway. They used hounds to chase it up a tree, at which point the bear was put down.

It's in the same area where a Boy Scout leader killed a bear in early July, and where a bear damaged a Scout leader's tent on July 6.

Philip Douglass with the DWR said bears come standard with living in Utah.

"Utahns need to get used to the fact that Utah is bear country."

He said once a bear gets used to going into campsites it will most likely continue raiding food supplies.

"It's an easy food supply for bears when they come into garbage cans. They can get food very easily," Douglass said.

Familiarity with human food is one of the main factors DWR officers cite when determining if a bear needs to be killed.

Officers said the most important thing people can do to avoid bears is to keep a clean camp. They suggested keeping any sort of food away from the sleeping area and always changing clothes before bed. They also said all food should be hung at least 10 feet up, 8 feet out from the trunk.

Not only is it for the safety of the campers, officers said, it's for the bears safety as well.


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Alex Cabrero and Dave Cawley

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