Wildlife

The Oklahoma City Zoo's bears Woody and Maynard demonstrated how quickly bears locate food at campsites, illustrating the importance of proper food storage. Wildlife Department senior biologist Matt Hensley emphasizes using BearWise tactics to prevent food conditioning and human-bear conflicts, which have tripled this year due to drought affecting natural food sources.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Hardware Wildlife Education Center in Cache County will host a free Turkey Tales exhibit in November featuring hands-on activities, educational walks, and opportunities to learn about wild turkeys. The center, located in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on three weekends: November 6-8, 13-15, and 20-22.

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The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation urges drivers to exercise caution during autumn months when deer activity increases due to breeding season and reduced daylight hours. Micah Holmes advises reducing speed, increasing following distance, and scanning roadsides, while warning against swerving to avoid collisions with other vehicles or roadside hazards.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in geese in Hamilton County and blue-wing teal in Greene County through surveillance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. The public health risk is low, but residents should avoid contact with sick wildlife and report findings to authorities.

The Big Grass Fire, which started July 23, 2026, burned 578,637 acres across Idaho and Oregon, impacting mule deer and elk habitat across multiple ranges. Wildlife Biologist Rachel Curtis and Volunteer Services Coordinator Lexie Chamberlain provide guidance on alternative hunting areas and habitat recovery efforts in affected units.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges drivers to exercise caution during autumn when deer are more active due to breeding season and crop harvesting. The agency provides safety tips including slowing near shelterbelts and woodlots, using high beams, and honking to frighten deer away. Drivers who strike a deer must contact Game and Parks within 24 hours.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks manages mule deer through aerial surveys, fawn recruitment data, harvest information, and habitat assessment. Area biologist Sonja Andersen explains how multiple information sources build a clearer picture of each herd and its landscape.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources encourages outdoor enthusiasts to report black bear den locations during fall and winter to support bear management programs. Reported dens may be investigated by DNR biologists who select candidates for research projects involving collaring and data collection.

As daylight saving time ends in November, Utah residents face increased vehicle-wildlife collisions during peak deer migration. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, through the Utah Roadkill Reporter app and Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative, partners with the Utah Department of Transportation to track collisions and construct strategic wildlife crossings to reduce accidents.

Six-year-old Leo Youngdahl discovered a rare 2.75-inch conulariid fossil at Schramm Park State Recreation Area near Gretna during a Rafting and Rocks event. Kelly Ekue, outdoor education specialist, and paleontologist Shane Tucker identified the ancient marine animal fossil, one of only three known conulariids found in Nebraska.

The state Game and Fish Department's annual fall aerial mule deer survey begins October 19 in western North Dakota, taking approximately two weeks to complete. The survey collects population data from 24 badlands study areas to monitor demographic trends including buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios.

A woman was injured by a cow moose on October 3 near McAllister while walking her dogs on private land. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game wardens responded but did not locate the moose, determining it likely acted defensively. The woman received treatment at Madison Valley Medical Center for significant but non-life-threatening injuries.

Montana is home to the Northern Scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus), the state's only scorpion species. These small, nocturnal arachnids are rarely seen but can be found on south-facing slopes in southeastern Montana and throughout the state in suitable sagebrush and grassland habitats. They serve as an important food source for pallid bats, a species of special concern in Montana.

Montana FWP provides educational videos featuring bear specialists Colby Anton, Chad White, Ali Marschner, Jeremiah Smith, Kyle Orozco, and Danielle Oyler covering grizzly bear safety, food management, hunting in bear country, trapping practices, and bear spray techniques.

A landowner in the Trego area shot and killed a male grizzly bear on October 1 after encountering it at close range near his property. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks responded to the scene. FWP Director Christy Clark emphasized the importance of securing food attractants during fall hyperphagia to prevent bear conflicts.

Montana is home to the shortnose gar, Lepisosteus platostomus, a small primitive fish species native to the state's Missouri and Mississippi river systems. These unique fish can extract atmospheric oxygen through their swim bladder, allowing survival in low-oxygen waters, and are considered a species of concern due to limited distribution and low population densities.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Lander Region is hosting a free "Living in Large Carnivore Country" workshop in Rawlins on October 6 at 6 p.m. Wildlife professionals will discuss mountain lion and black bear behavior, attractant management, and conflict prevention strategies.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks removed 14 black bears from a Bozeman-area residence in late September after finding them heavily food-conditioned and habituated to humans due to alleged supplemental feeding. Game Warden Captain Josh Leonard stated the bears posed human safety risks and were humanely euthanized, with one cub sent to FWP's Montana WILD facility.

The Maryland DNR warns residents that black bears are increasing feeding activity in preparation for winter hibernation, consuming over 20,000 calories daily. Residents should remove food attractants and delay filling bird feeders to prevent human-bear conflicts and keep bears wild.