Grizzly conflicts decline in '05

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department handled 100 grizzly bear/human conflicts in northwest Wyoming last year, a little below average, according to trophy game biologists.

"2005 was a relatively easy year for us," Mark Bruscino, head of the department's bear management section, told Game and Fish commissioners last week.

The number of conflicts was down compared with the more than 200 bear/human conflicts the agency dealt with each year in 2002 and 2003, agency figures show.

Bruscino said last year, the agency handled 17 grizzly bear property damage incidents, 15 food-related calls, 56 cattle incidents, four sheep incidents and two human injury incidents. The conflict locations were scattered across northwest Wyoming and ranged from Kemmerer to Cody.

He said the department also captured 21 grizzly bears in 2005. Of those bears, 13 were relocated, four were destroyed, and one cub died during a capture operation.

Bruscino said all grizzly bears that are captured and relocated go back into the federal recovery zone surrounding Yellowstone National Park or immediately adjacent to it. "Sometimes it's a success story and they stay inside that recovery zone … and sometimes they run right back to where they were," he said.

Cheyenne gets new DEA building

CHEYENNE - It's surrounded by an imposing, wrought-iron fence, and cars can't get into the parking lot without clearance by a security desk.

But the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency wants its new building in Cheyenne to be welcoming to the state and local agencies it works with in fighting drug trafficking in Wyoming.

The DEA has just seven agents covering all of Wyoming and often teams up with state, county and city law enforcement. Accordingly, the new building near the airport has office space for employees of the Cheyenne Police Department; Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation; Laramie County Sheriff's Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

On hand for last week's ribbon cutting were Gov. Dave Freudenthal, U.S. Attorney for Wyoming Matt Mead, Cheyenne Police Chief Bob Fecht and Laramie County Sheriff Danny Glick.

County puts limits on old bridge

POWELL - Park County has reduced the speed limit and placed weight restrictions on traffic crossing the Willwood Bridge, which state and local engineers have called obsolete.

The new regulations prohibit any vehicle weighing more than 20 tons from using the bridge, and limit traffic weighing between 12 and 20 tons, depending on the type of vehicle. Violators could be subject to a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail, and could be held responsible for any damage done to the bridge.

The speed limit on the bridge was reduced to 20 mph.

Park County Engineer Frank Page said if drivers don't adhere to those restrictions, the bridge could be closed.