Bears caught, released in Sierra

A bear is released Sunday in the Sierra chased by a dog. Photo/John Axtell

Bears made sure Nevada Department of Wildlife officials didn’t rest this long weekend.

On Friday a female black bear was trapped in west Carson City, which has been a busy place for bears this fall. The female, which didn’t have cubs, was first caught in early October in west Carson.

“When we caught her the last time, we did not have the opportunity to perform aversive conditioning treatment on her as she was released near Marlette Lake. This time she was released southeast of the first location and we used bear dogs and rubber bullets to see if that scares the bear and keeps it away from humans,” NDOW biologist Carl Lackey said in a statement.

A male black bear captured in the Verdi/Gold Ranch area last July was caught again Saturday in Verdi, this time raiding a chicken coop. The 6- to 7-year-old bear was about 350 pounds when caught in July and now weighs about 400 pounds. The owner of the chicken coop was advised to do more to keep his chickens secure and safe from black bears looking for a meal. Lackey took the male bear well south of Verdi in the Carson Range to release it Sunday morning using the full aversive conditioning treatment.

NDOW has one remaining trap placed in the Caughlin Ranch area of southwest Reno. NDOW officials warn with unseasonably warm weather forecast for the next few days and a full moon on tap for next weekend, there is still time for bears to be a problem for people who do not take precautions to keep human food away from bears.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report