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PAYSON — Payson Lakes picnic area and three of its group sites remain closed due to nearby bear sightings July 21.
A KSL camera was rolling Thursday evening and caught the bear on tape as it wandered the area. Campers had reported seeing the bear near a dumpster, apparently looking for an easy meal.
While word spread fast around the camp about two bears, no one seemed too concerned.
"We've gone camping our whole lives, a lot up in the Uintas too, so we just make sure we take precautions to put everything away," said camper Kristal Thompson.
Lisa Hancock and her daughter Rachael are visiting from Arizona and planning on backpacking and camping for the night.
"It's a little concerning. It just makes us want to be safer, but we've been in these mountains before," Hancock said.
State wildlife officials aren't taking any chances, however. Officers with the Division of Wildlife Resources marked the problem bears with a paintball, so they can ensure the bears in the camping area are successfully captured and moved to a remote area.
The Payson Lakes campground remains open, for the most part, even as wildlife officials continue to look for bears during the busy holiday weekend.
Email: spenrod@ksl.com
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