Around the 307
News, commentary, and other items of interest from the greater Wyoming landscape.
[Want to modify the number of weekly emails you receive? Find out how at the end of this post.]
For the week of September 1st, 2024, here are Cowboy state news items of interest:
To start out the week, on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024 the Star Valley Independent published this story about the first hunter vs. grizzly bear encounter of the season. According to a news release from Idaho Fish and Game, on Sunday morning September 1st, an archery hunter was attacked by an adult male grizzly bear west of Henrys Lake in Island Park. The man was hunting elk with a friend on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest near the Divide Creek Road when the attack occurred. During the surprise encounter, one of the hunters was knocked down and bitten by the bear. Both men were able to utilize their sidearms to shoot the bear, deterring the attack and killing the bear. Subsequent investigation into the incident has concluded the hunters acted in self-defense during the surprise encounter. This story serves as a good reminder for hunters and all those who recreate in the Greater Yellowstone area that grizzly bears may be encountered at any time. Stay frosty out there folks and always carry bear spray!
On Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 the battle to save Brooks Lake Lodge got real! You may recall I reported on the Fish Creek Fire (first discovered on August 16th) in the Around the 307 post from the week of August 18th. At that time the historic Brooks Lake Lodge was directly in the path of the raging wildfire. On Wednesday night, firefighters made their stand at U.S. Highway 26 at Togwotee Pass. Holding the fire there and preventing it from jumping the road was critical to the fate of Brooks Lake Lodge. The photos below (posted to the Brooks Lake Lodge Facebook page tell the story). The morning hours of September 5th reveal the grand old lodge standing strong! The line was held! While Brooks Lake Lodge is not completely out of danger (the Fish Creek Fire currently stands at about 69% contained) the events of the past week are a testament to the men and women in green and gold! Thank you firefighters for all that you do!
Also on Wednesday, September 4th, Cowboy State Daily published this article about an anthrax outbreak in the Elk Mountain area of Carbon County that has killed about 50 cattle. The last documented case of anthrax in Wyoming occurred in the 1970s. Along with the cattle, moose in the area have also tested positive for the bacterial disease, the latter being the first time anthrax has been detected in Wyoming wildlife since 1956. Anthrax spores occur naturally in Wyoming soil and outbreaks can occur if the right environmental conditions are present. Anthrax can be transmitted from animals to people and while there is no state-wide outbreak, those in the Elk Mountain area are advised to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Health or their medical provider if they believe they may have been exposed to an animal that has died from the bacteria. An anthrax vaccine is available for livestock and anthrax infections in humans can be treated with antibiotics.
That’s all for today buckaroos! Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Want to customize your Close to Home 307 subscription and the number of emails you receive each week? Please click this About page link and scroll midway down the page to learn how to update your settings.