Around the 307
News, commentary, and other items of interest from the greater Wyoming landscape.
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It’s Halloween week in the Cowboy State! Here are a few news items of interest for the week of October 27th, 2024:
As if Halloween isn’t scary enough, how would you feel about meeting a real live grizzly bear in a corn maze? Yikes! Fortunately, that scenario has not played out thanks to a new new five-strand, 9,600 foot-long electric fence surrounding the corn maze and other fall attractions at Gallagher’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Clark, Wyoming. The Gallagher’s property, located about 30 miles north of Cody near the Montana state line at the base of the Beartooth Mountains, has seen a growing number of Ursus arctos horribilis chowing down in their sweet corn fields in recent years. Only in Wyoming—right? Read this Cowboy State Daily story from Monday, October 28th to get all the details.
On Tuesday, October 29th, we learned Wyoming lent its name to an amicus brief in support of Utah’s attempt to take ownership of U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The BLM currently manages some 28% of the land within the state of Wyoming. A number of other western states to include Idaho, Alaska, and Arizona also support Utah’s quest. At issue is the contention that BLM lands are unappropriated and therefore should belong to the states rather than their current status as being on indefinite retainer by the Federal Government. Read the full article here published by the Star Valley Independent (via WyoFile).
To finish up the week, on November 1st, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provided this press release on the final journey of Grizzly Bear 399. Since the famous bear was killed by an automobile in the Snake River Canyon last week, her remains have been in FWS custody. Today, it was announced Grizzly Bear 399 was cremated and her ashes scattered in the Pilgrim Creek area of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). It was the right think to do in my opinion. Chip Jenkins, GTNP Superintendent, had this to say: “399 will always be part of this special place… However, there is still work to do to ensure her descendants and all grizzly bears continue to thrive in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It's up to all of us to make sure they do.” Rest in peace Grizzly 399, rest in peace.
In 2015, photographer Tom Mangelsen collaborated with writer Todd Wilkinson to publish “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek” chronicling the life of Grizzly Bear 399. I’ve had a copy of this book on my coffee table for nearly a decade. Lastly—here are a few Wyoming historical events (some well known, others obscure) that occurred during the month of October.
October 22nd, 1812—Robert Stuart and a small party of Astorians, traveling from the Oregon coast to St. Louis, cross South Pass the first Euro-Americans to do so.
Photo courtesy of the website The Fur Trade Role in Western Expansion. October 1st, 1941—Daredevil parachutist George Hopkins lands on Devils Tower.
October 23rd, 1972—Fossil Butte National Monument is created by act of Congress.
That’s all for today cowgirls and cowboys! Thanks for reading and have a great week!
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