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Boynton Canyon Bear Warning

Sedona has frequent wild bear sightings over the years Photo by Sunday Larson 2012

Sedona frequently has wild bear sightings Photo by Sunday Larson 2012

Sedona AZ (May 5, 2014)The following Red Rock Ranger District public notice is for visitors and residents in the Boynton Canyon area near Enchantment Resort in Sedona:

Hi all,

Please avoid Boynton Canyon beyond Enchantment Resort for the next week. Having fewer visitors in the upper canyon is intended to relieve the stress on a wild bear that has been observed in Boynton Canyon.

Background: Forest Service and Game and Fish have been monitoring a wild bear in Boynton Canyon for the past 6 weeks, since a report about two local residents feeding a bear in the canyon. Investigations confirmed that a bear has been naturally browsing in Boynton and Long Canyon for the spring and that one, maybe two, local men have put out food for the bear in Boynton Canyon. As a result, this bear now associates people with food and is coming closer to visitors who hike the canyon.

Coconino Flagstaff Red Rock forest zonesBears are well known to have keen memories and also a very high need for calories. As food supplies dwindle and the drought lingers, the bear is becoming more bold, resulting in several close encounters this past week. If this behavior continues there is a high likelihood that the bear will be euthanized. This is where the slogan “A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear” comes from.

It is a very sad situation and we hope that by minimizing the stress on this bear, reducing encounters and giving it time to go higher in the forest, we can avoid this kind of decision by our Game and Fish Department.

Please share this information, avoid Boynton at this time, and remember never, ever feed a bear.

I will give an update on this situation as I find out more.

Thank you,

Jennifer Burns
Recreation Staff Officer
Red Rock Ranger District
Coconino National Forest
928-203-2900

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For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

3 Comments

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  3. Ben says:

    Hope our new humane society vet reads this. She thinks it’s cute to feed the Javelina by hand, and even got tusked by one which She thinks is funny. Hope none follow Me thinking I’ll feed them, cause it would be a death sentence.

    Hey folks, stick to feeding the birds.

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