{"id":1111,"date":"2011-10-25T18:08:36","date_gmt":"2011-10-26T00:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theyellowstonegate.com\/?p=1111"},"modified":"2011-10-25T19:22:49","modified_gmt":"2011-10-26T01:22:49","slug":"from-the-cops-and-bears-desk-of-bozeman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yellowstonegate.com\/?p=1111","title":{"rendered":"From Bozeman’s ‘Cops and Bears’ department"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bear sightings are expected in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, but they often prompt worried calls to “the authorities” in larger communities around the parks. In Bozeman recently, that has meant a rash of calls to the local police department, as documented by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle<\/a> and compiled by local blogger Tim Iacono<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Wildlife officials explain<\/a> that as winter approaches, bears pack on the calories in preparation for hibernation, often making them more visible in areas they might otherwise avoid. Many of the Bozeman sightings have apparently involved black bears, described in police logs as “just chilling” or “hanging out.”<\/p>\n

Striking a cautionary tone, Iacono wrote on Oct. 22 that “so far, these creatures have not interacted with the other group in town that regularly shows up in the police reports \u2013 late night drunks.” Which means the October newspaper clipping making the rounds online about Bozeman drunks yelling at bears in trees must be from the past \u2014 or perhaps it was sent back to the Internet from the future.<\/p>\n

Fans of goofy police reports (but who might not be bear aficionados) should check out Bozeman blogger Zack Waterman’s recent compilations<\/a> of mundane but amusing dispatches. Who can resist compelling accounts like just a few of the best from June 2011<\/a>:<\/p>\n