What’s In The Kit?
People and Carnivores, a non-profit based in Bozeman, Montana, has graciously donated thousands of bear-safety kits to reduce human-bear conflict in the Island Park area. During the summer of 2024, we distributed over 1300 kits!
We have two different bear safety kits available! One is an “At-Home” kit, and the other is a “Visiting Bear Country” kit. The “At-Home” kit is meant to be placed in the cabins of seasonal and full-time residents. Materials include: “Living in Bear Country” flyer, Bear-safe property checklist, “Keeping Bears Out of Garbage and Waste” flyer, “Recreating in Bear Country” flyer and a cool magnet!
The “Vacation Rental” bear safety kit is designed for Vacation Rental owners and has materials for both the rental owner and visitors, including a tip sheet for owners, a “Visiting Bear Country” flyer, a “Recreating in Bear Country” flyer, and an awesome magnet perfect for your fridge!
Purpose Of The Kits
To promote awareness and bear-safe practices among as many as possible of the estimated 150,000 people who live, visit, or recreate in the Island Park area – including the 5,000 households that receive mail in summer, visitors to short-term rentals, hotels, campgrounds in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, glamping, and boondock sites.
We treasure the wildlife of Greater Yellowstone as an important community value. Island Park is Grizzly and Black Bear Country. Human-bear conflicts can lead to injury and the death of both humans and bears. A single food reward trains bears to approach people, and securing food and trash is the best way to protect both people and bears.
We want to get these kits into as many homes and short-term rentals in Island Park as possible!
How To Receive A Kit
We need your help! We are looking for representatives from each of the HOA’s/neighborhoods in Island Park to help distribute these kits! Whether it’s giving them away at your annual HOA meeting or going door to door, we can’t accomplish this project without your help. If you are interested in helping distribute these kits in your neighborhood, please email Shaun@Henrysforkwildlifealliance.org
If you’re looking for Vacation Rental kits for your short-term rental, you can pick them up during regular business hours at Connie’s Restaurant (spring/summer only) or at the Island Park Library!
As always, we are looking for volunteers to help with this project. If you are willing to help us assemble these kits or approach short-term rentals/hotels, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us using the email address listed above!