Sheriff report: Deputy catches black bear red-handed

The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office received the following calls for the week of September 7-13:

September 7: 5:44 a.m. – A caller reported that the John Blue Canyon Road had washed out. The Bureau of Land Management is working to repair the road.

2:58 p.m. – A caller reported that a bear had gotten into his rabbit hutches at a home just east of Lovell on U.S. 14A and was eating a rabbit. Sgt. Jeff Angell responded, and when he arrived at the property, he saw a black bear standing up with a rabbit in its mouth. He ran the bear off and notified Wyoming Game and Fish.

September 8: 9:50 a.m. – A deputy came upon an abandoned camper trailer south of Byron on Road 5, left at a pullout. The deputy waited one more day, then called a towing company. The trailer had no license plate.

12:15 p.m. – An employee of the port of entry in Frannie reported to the Wyoming Highway Patrol that a trucker had just left the facility smelling like drugs. The call was referred to the sheriff’s office. A deputy stopped the truck but could find no odor of drugs and sent the driver on his way.

1:26 p.m. – The Lovell Police Department reported receiving a call that a cattle hauler had left Good2Go and was speeding. As the truck had already passed through town and was heading south on U.S. 310, the sheriff’s office was notified. The truck could not be located.

September 9: 2:14 p.m. – A deputy noticed a cow along the highway near Byron and put the cow away, then called the owner.

6:39 p.m. – A caller reported seeing a bear running along a fence line across from the Diamond J Bar east of Lovell. Game and Fish was notified.

September 10: 1:39 p.m. – A caller asked about the current fire ban at the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

September 11: 7:29 a.m. – Deputies responded to a multi-vehicle crash three miles west of Cowley (see related story).

8:01 p.m. – A reported domestic dispute on Road 15 near Lovell was found to be verbal in nature, and one of the parties had already left the residence by the time a deputy arrived.

September 12: 8:20 a.m. – Cows were reported loose just west of Byron alongside U.S. 14A. A highway trooper found the owner, who said he would take care of it.