EVANSTON — Local officials shot and killed a 2-year-old black bear a couple of weeks ago in Evanston. On the morning of Monday, Sept. 9, a 2-year-old black bear was seen pawing through the garbage outside the El Paso restaurant on Evanston’s Bear River Drive, and Wyoming Game and Fish was alerted.

“I wasn’t notified immediately, and by the time I got there, circumstances had evolved, and I was concerned for public safety,” local game warden Heather Sterling said. “I had to euthanize the bear.”

Sterling said the bear’s carcass will be destroyed. She said the animal carcass is usually destroyed or it can be given away if there is an educational opportunity available or a museum that can use it.

Sterling said the bear wasn’t tranquilized and relocated because her biggest concern at that moment was for the safety of others in the area.

“Every circumstance is different and calls for a different response,” Sterling said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a bear in the town.”

Wyoming Game and Fish Department Information Specialist Regina Dickson agreed that every situation different and is, therefore, handled case by case. Dickson also said Sterling did not have any tranquilizers with her when she arrived on the scene, and that Sterling was also concerned about spectators’ well-being.

Dickson said it was estimated by witnesses that the bear had been eating from the dumpster for at least four hours before Game and Fish was called. She said the bear’s carcass was taken to the landfill and trophy parts were removed in order to prevent anyone taking them illegally.

“It is uncommon for a bear to come into the town, but we do get them occasionally — especially this time of year when they are eating as much as they can to prepare for hibernation,” Dickson said. “They have an excellent sense of smell and will come where there are easy resources.”

What should you do if you encounter a bear, or signs of a bear, in town?

“The best thing for people to do when they see bear tracks and scat is to call Wyoming Game and Fish immediately,” Dickson said. “This gives us time to discourage them from seeking human food. Also, this time of year it is wise to keep pets inside when you are not with them.”