California Bear Problem Would Never Happen In Wyoming

Let's start out by saying, this would never happen in Wyoming.

A  California man has been living with a 550-pound black bear under his home for the past month. The bear gets in and out by squeezing its fat gut through a small cellar window. The homeowner tried to cover the window with a metal grate while the bear was away, but the video below shows the bear just ripping it off and climbing back in.

He called the state of California for help, and they halfheartedly tried a few ideas, but then gave up and told him just to wait; the bear would eventually go away.

The homeowner is threatening to sue the California Department of Game & Fish after he says they left him to deal with the massive creature on his own.

That got me to thinking...

If this were to happen in Wyoming, there would be a new living room rug and a freezer full of meat.

But hold on, would you actually be allowed to just walk down into your cellar with a gun and shoot the beast?

Jessica Korhut is a BLM ranger out of Buffalo, Wyoming, and a friend of mine. I called her to find out what the rules in Wyoming would be and what the state of Wyoming would actually do to help.

First, she explained, the state of Wyoming would never tell you to wait it out. If you made a call that a bear had moved in under your house, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department will be at the home ASAP.

She explained to me how bears make their dens, where and why. Let's just say that this big fellow is not leaving anytime soon.

One case that comes to mind happened in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a few years back, when a homeowner in town saw a sleeping mountain lion under a bush in her backyard. WGF officials were at her home quickly. They shot a dart into the sleeping cat to make sure it stayed asleep, then hauled it off for relocation.

Ranger Jessica explained that a person in Wyoming is allowed to defend themselves, with lethal force, if any animal becomes an actual threat to human life or livestock.

But there will be an investigation just to make sure that the kill was legitimate and actually necessary. There are too many poachers out there inventing creative excuses.

Let's not forget that killer rabbit problem from Monty Python (seen below).

So while it might be tempting to go down under your house and measure for your new rug, don't clear out the deep freeze for meat just yet. Call Wyoming Game & Fish. That way, the animal is taken care of, and you don't get into trouble.

If you do end up killing the bear yourself, you'll have to prove that it was a necessary kill. Unlike in California, Wyoming Game & Fish. actually want to help you.